Wisconsin Code § 49.498

Requirements for skilled nursing facilities
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(1)
DEFINITIONS. In this section:
(a) “Active treatment for developmental disability” means a
continuous program for an individual who has a developmental
disability that includes aggressive, consistent implementation of
specialized and generic training, treatment, health services and
related services, that is directed toward the individual’s acquiring
behaviors necessary for him or her to function with as much selfdetermination and independence as possible and that is directed
toward preventing or decelerating regression or loss of the individual’s current optimal functional status. “Active treatment for
developmental disability” does not include services to maintain
generally independent individuals with developmental disability
who are able to function with little supervision or in the absence
of active treatment for developmental disability.
(b) “Active treatment for mental illness” means the implementation of an individualized plan of care for an individual with
mental illness that is developed under and supervised by a physician licensed under ch. 448 and other qualified mental health care
providers and that prescribes specific therapies and activities for
the treatment of the individual while the individual experiences
an acute episode of severe mental illness which necessitates supervision by trained mental health care providers.
(c) “Developmental disability” means any of the following:
1. Significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning
that is concurrent with an individual’s deficits in adaptive behavior and that manifested during the individual’s developmental
period.
2. A severe, chronic disability that meets all of the conditions
for individuals with related conditions as specified in 42 CFR
435.1009.
(d) “Licensed health professional” has the meaning given under 42 USC 1396r (b) (5) (G).
(e) “Managing employee” means a general manager, business
manager, administrator, director or other individual who exercises operational or managerial control over, or who directly or
indirectly conducts, the operation of the facility.
(f) “Medicare” means coverage under part A or part B of Title
XVIII of the federal social security act, 42 USC 1395 to 1395zz.
(g) “Mental illness” has the meaning given under 42 USC
1396r (e) (7) (G) (i).
(h) “Nurse aide” has the meaning given under 42 USC 1396r
(b) (5) (F).
(i) “Nursing facility” has the meaning given under 42 USC
1396r (a).
(j) “Physician” has the meaning given under s. 448.01 (5).
(k) “Psychopharmacologic drugs” means drugs that modify
psychological functions and mental states.
(L) “Registered professional nurse” means a registered nurse
who is licensed under ch. 441 or who holds a multistate license,
as defined in s. 441.51 (2) (h), issued in a party state, as defined
in s. 441.51 (2) (k).
(m) “Resident” means an individual who resides in a nursing
facility.
(2) REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO PROVISION OF SERVICES.
(a) 1. A nursing facility shall care for its residents in such a manner and in such an environment as will promote maintenance or
enhancement of the quality of life of each resident.
2. A nursing facility shall maintain a quality assessment and
assurance committee that consists of the director of nursing services, a physician who is designated by the nursing facility and at
least 3 other members of the nursing facility staff and that shall
do all of the following:
a. Meet at least every 3 months to identify issues with respect
to which quality assessment and assurance activities are
necessary.
b. Develop and implement appropriate plans of action to correct identified quality deficiencies.
3. A quality assessment and assurance committee described
under subd. 2. may establish written guidelines or procedures for
making therapeutic alternate drug selections for the purposes of
s. 450.01 (16) (hm) if the committee members include a pharmacist, as defined in s. 450.01 (15).
(b) A nursing facility shall provide services to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental and psychosocial
well-being of each resident in accordance with a written plan of
care for each resident which:
1. Describes the medical, nursing and psychosocial needs of
the resident and how the needs shall be met;
2. Is initially prepared, with participation to the extent practicable of the resident or the resident’s family or legal counsel, by a
team which includes the resident’s attending physician and a registered professional nurse who has responsibility for the resident;
and
3. Is periodically reviewed and revised by the team in subd.
2. after the conduct of an assessment under par. (c).
(c) 1. A nursing facility shall conduct a comprehensive, accurate, standardized reproducible assessment of each resident’s
functional capacity that:
a. Describes the resident’s capability to perform daily life
functions and significant impairments in the resident’s functional
capacity.
b. Is based on a uniform minimum data set of core elements
and common definitions specified as required under 42 USC
1395i-3 (f) (6) (A).
c. Uses an instrument which shall be specified by the department by rule.
d. Includes identification of the resident’s medical problems.
2. A registered professional nurse shall conduct or coordinate with the appropriate participation of health professionals,
sign and certify the completion of an assessment under subd. 1.
Each individual who completes a portion of the assessment shall
sign and certify as to the accuracy of that portion of the
assessment.
3. No individual may willfully and knowingly certify under
subd. 2. a material and false statement in an assessment.
4. No individual may willfully and knowingly cause another
individual to certify under subd. 2. a material and false statement
in an assessment.
5. If the department determines by survey of a nursing facility or otherwise that an individual has knowingly and willfully
certified a false assessment under subd. 2., the department may
require that individuals who are independent of the nursing facility and are approved by the department conduct and certify assessments under this paragraph.
6. A nursing facility shall:

a. Conduct an assessment under subd. 1. no later than 4 days
after the admission of an individual admitted after September 30,
1990.
b. Conduct all of the assessments under subd. 1. for a resident of the nursing facility by October 1, 1991, for a resident who
resides in the facility on that date; promptly after a significant
change in a resident’s physical or mental condition; and, for every
resident, no less often than once every 12 months.
c. Examine a resident no less frequently than once every 3
months and, as appropriate, revise the resident’s assessment under subd. 1. to assure the assessment’s continuing accuracy.
7. The assessment conducted under subd. 1. shall be used in
developing, reviewing and revising a nursing facility resident’s
plan of care under par. (b).
8. A nursing facility shall coordinate an assessment conducted under this paragraph with the conduct of preadmission
screening under s. 49.45 (6c) (b) to the maximum extent practicable in order to avoid duplicative testing and effort.
(d) 1. To the extent needed to fulfill the plans of care required
under par. (b), a nursing facility shall provide or arrange for the
provision of all of the following, which shall meet professional
standards of quality:
a. Nursing services and specialized rehabilitative services to
attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental and
psychosocial well-being of each resident.
b. Medically related social services to attain or maintain the
highest practicable physical, mental and psychosocial well-being
of each resident.
c. Pharmaceutical services, including procedures that assure
the accurate acquiring, receiving, dispensing and administering of
all drugs and biologicals, to meet the needs of each resident.
d. Dietary services that assure that the meals meet the daily
nutritional and special dietary needs of each resident.
e. An ongoing program, directed by a qualified professional,
of activities designed to meet the interests and the physical, mental and psychosocial well-being of each resident.
f. Routine dental services to the extent covered under the approved state medicaid plan and emergency dental services to
meet the needs of each resident.
2. Services specified under subd. 1. a. to d. and f. shall be
provided to a resident by qualified persons in accordance with the
resident’s written plan of care under par. (b).
3. Unless waived under subd. 4., a nursing facility shall:
a. Provide 24-hour per day licensed nursing services which
are sufficient to meet the nursing needs of its residents; and
b. Shall use the services of a registered professional nurse at
least 8 consecutive hours per day, 7 days per week.
4. Subject to subd. 5., the department may waive the requirement under subd. 3. a. or b. if all of the following apply:
a. The nursing facility demonstrates to the satisfaction of the
department that the nursing facility has been unable, despite diligent efforts including offering wages at the community prevailing
rate for nursing facilities, to recruit appropriate personnel.
b. The department determines that a waiver of the requirement will not endanger the health or safety of nursing facility
residents.
c. The department finds that a registered professional nurse
or a physician is obligated to respond immediately to telephone
calls from the nursing facility for any periods in which licensed
nursing services are not available.
5. A waiver under subd. 4. is subject to annual review by the
department and to review by the secretary of the federal department of health and human services. The department may, in
granting or reviewing a waiver, require the nursing facility to employ other qualified, licensed personnel.
(e) Except as otherwise provided in s. 146.40, all of the following apply:
2. A nursing facility may not use the individual as a nurse
aide unless the nursing facility has inquired of the department
concerning information about the individual in the registry under
s. 146.40 (4g).
3. A nursing facility shall provide the regular performance
review and regular in-service education that assures that individuals used as nurse aides are competent to perform services as
nurse aides, including training for individuals to provide nursing
and nursing-related services to nursing facility residents with
cognitive impairments.
(f) A nursing facility shall do all of the following:
1. Require that the health care of every nursing facility resident be provided under the supervision of a physician.
2. Provide for the availability of a physician to furnish necessary medical care in case of emergency.
3. Maintain clinical records on all nursing facility residents
which include all of the following:
a. Written plans of care, as required under par. (b).
b. Assessments, as required under par. (c).
c. Results of any preadmission screening conducted under s.
49.45 (6c) (b).
(g) A nursing facility with more than 120 beds shall employ
full-time at least one social worker with at least a bachelor’s degree in social work or similar professional qualifications to provide or assure the provision of social services.
(3) RESIDENT’S RIGHTS; GENERAL RIGHTS. (a) A nursing facility shall protect and promote the rights of each resident, including each of the following rights:
1. The right to choose a personal attending physician, to be
fully informed in advance about care and treatment, to be fully informed in advance of any changes in care or treatment that may
affect the resident’s well-being, and, except with respect to a resident who is adjudicated incompetent, to participate in planning
care and treatment or changes in care and treatment.
2. The right to be free from physical or mental abuse, corporal punishment, involuntary seclusion, and any physical or chemical restraints imposed for the purpose of discipline or convenience and not required to treat the resident’s medical symptoms.
Restraints may only be imposed:
a. To ensure the physical safety of the resident or other residents; and
b. Upon the written order of a physician that specifies the duration and circumstances under which the restraints are to be
used, except in emergency circumstances until the order could
reasonably be obtained.
3. The right to privacy with regard to accommodations, medical treatment, written and telephonic communications, visits,
and meetings of family and of resident groups, except that this
subdivision may not be construed to require provision of a private
room.
4. The right to confidentiality of personal and clinical
records.
5. The rights:
a. To reside and receive services with reasonable accommodations of individual needs and preferences, except where the
health or safety of the individual or other residents would be endangered; and
b. To receive notice before the room or roommate of the resident in the nursing facility is changed.

6. The right to voice grievances with respect to treatment or
care that is or is not furnished, without discrimination or reprisal
for voicing the grievances, and the right to prompt efforts by the
nursing facility to resolve grievances that the resident may have,
including those with respect to the behavior of other residents.
7. The right of the resident to organize and participate in resident groups in the nursing facility and the right of the resident’s
family to meet in the nursing facility with the families of other
residents in the nursing facility.
8. The right of the resident to participate in social, religious
and community activities that do not interfere with the rights of
other residents in the nursing facility.
9. The right to examine, upon reasonable request, the results
of the most recent survey of the facility conducted by the federal
department of health and human services or the department with
respect to the nursing facility and any plan of correction in effect
with respect to the nursing facility.
10. Any other right specified in rules that the department
shall promulgate in conformity with federal regulations.
(b) Except as provided in par. (c), a nursing facility shall do all
of the following:
1. Inform each resident, orally and in writing at the time of
admission to the nursing facility, of the resident’s legal rights during the stay at the nursing facility, including a description of the
protection of personal funds under sub. (8) and a statement that a
resident may file a complaint with the department under s.
146.40 (4r) (a) concerning misappropriation of property or neglect or abuse of a resident.
2. Make available to each resident, upon reasonable request,
a written statement of the rights specified in subd. 1. which is updated upon changes in nursing rights.
3. Inform each resident who is entitled to medical assistance:
a. At the time of admission to the nursing facility or, if later,
at the time the resident becomes eligible for medical assistance,
of the items and services that are included in nursing facility services under the approved state medicaid plan and for which the
resident may not be charged, except as permitted, and of other
items and services that the nursing facility offers and for which
the resident may be charged and the amount of the charges for the
items and services; and
b. Of changes in the items and services described in subd. 3.
a. and of changes in the charges imposed for items and services
described in subd. 3. a.
4. Inform each other resident, in writing before or at the time
of admission and periodically during the resident’s stay, of services available in the nursing facility and of related charges for
the services, including any charges for services not covered under
medicare or by the nursing facility’s basic per diem charge.
(c) For a resident who is adjudicated incompetent in this state,
the rights of a resident under this subsection devolve upon and, to
the extent determined necessary by a court of competent jurisdiction, are exercised by the resident’s guardian.
(d) Psychopharmacologic drugs may be administered to a resident only on the orders of a physician and only as part of a plan
included in the written plan of care under par. (b) designed to
eliminate or modify the symptoms for which the drugs are prescribed and only if, at least annually, an independent, external
consultant reviews the appropriateness of the drug plan of each
resident receiving the pharmacologic drugs.
(4) RESIDENT’S RIGHTS; TRANSFER AND DISCHARGE RIGHTS.
(a) A nursing facility shall permit a resident to remain in the
nursing facility and may not transfer or discharge the resident
from the nursing facility unless one of the following applies:
1. The transfer or discharge is necessary to meet the resident’s welfare and the resident’s welfare cannot be met in the
nursing facility, as documented by the resident’s physician in the
resident’s clinical record.
2. The transfer or discharge is appropriate because the resident’s health has improved sufficiently so that the resident no
longer needs the services provided by the nursing facility, as documented by the resident’s physician in the resident’s clinical
record.
3. The safety of individuals in the nursing facility is endangered, as documented in the resident’s clinical record.
4. The health of individuals in the nursing facility would otherwise be endangered, as documented by a physician in the resident’s clinical record.
5. The resident has failed, after reasonable and appropriate
notice, to pay or have paid on his or her behalf under medical assistance or under medicare for a stay at the nursing facility. If a
resident becomes eligible for medical assistance after admission
to the nursing facility, only charges that may be imposed under
medical assistance may be allowed in enforcement of this
subdivision.
6. The nursing facility ceases to operate.
(b) 1. Before effecting a transfer or discharge of a resident a
nursing facility shall note in the resident’s record and notify the
resident and, if known, an immediate family member of the resident or the resident’s legal counsel concerning the transfer or discharge and the reasons for it, at least 30 days in advance of the
resident’s transfer or discharge, except that the nursing facility
shall notify as soon as practicable in the circumstances specified
in par. (a) 3. or 4.; in the circumstance specified in par. (a) 2. in
which the resident’s health improves sufficiently to permit a more
immediate transfer or discharge; in the circumstances specified in
par. (a) 1. in which a more immediate transfer or discharge is necessitated by the resident’s urgent medical needs; or in the instance in which a resident has resided in the nursing facility fewer
than 30 days.
2. Each notice under subd. 1. shall include all of the
following:
a. For transfers or discharges effected after September 30,
1990, notice of the resident’s right to appeal the transfer or discharge under a mechanism for hearing the appeals that is established by the department by rule.
b. The name, mailing address and telephone number of the
long-term care ombudsman program under s. 16.009 (2) (b).
c. For a resident with developmental disability or mental illness, the mailing address and telephone number of the protection
and advocacy agency designated under s. 51.62 (2) (a).
(c) A nursing facility shall provide sufficient preparation and
orientation to residents to ensure safe and orderly transfer or discharge from the nursing facility.
(d) 1. Before a resident of a nursing facility is transferred for
hospitalization or therapeutic leave, a nursing facility shall provide written information to the resident and an immediate family
member or legal counsel concerning all of the following:
a. The provisions of the approved state medicaid plan concerning the period, if any, during which the resident is permitted
to return and resume residence in the nursing facility.
b. The policies of the nursing facility regarding subd. 1. a.,
which shall be consistent with subd. 1. a.
2. At the time of a resident’s transfer to a hospital for therapeutic leave, a nursing facility shall provide written notice to the
resident and an immediate family member or legal counsel of the
duration of the period, if any, specified in subd. 1. a.
3. A nursing facility shall establish and follow a written policy under which a resident, who is eligible for medical assistance

for nursing facility services, who is transferred from the nursing
facility for hospitalization or therapeutic leave and whose hospitalization or therapeutic leave exceeds a period paid for by medical assistance for the resident, shall be permitted to be readmitted
to the nursing facility immediately upon the first availability of a
bed in a semiprivate room in the nursing facility, if at the time of
readmission the resident requires the services provided by the
nursing facility.
(5) RESIDENT’S RIGHTS; ACCESS AND VISITATION RIGHTS. A
nursing facility shall do all of the following:
(a) Permit immediate access to a resident by the department,
by any representative of the secretary of the federal department of
health and human services, by a representative of the board on aging and long-term care, by a representative of the protection and
advocacy agency designated under s. 51.62 (2) (a) or by the resident’s attending physician.
(b) Permit immediate access to a resident by immediate family or other relatives of the resident, subject to the resident’s right
to deny or withdraw consent at any time.
(c) Permit immediate access to a resident by others who are
visiting with the consent of the resident, subject to reasonable restrictions and the resident’s right to deny or withdraw consent at
any time.
(d) Permit reasonable access to a resident by any entity or individual that provides health, social, legal or other services to the
resident, subject to the resident’s right to deny or withdraw consent at any time.
(e) Permit a designated representative of the long-term care
ombudsman under s. 16.009 (4), with the permission of the resident or the resident’s legal counsel, and in accordance with s.
16.009 (4) (b) 1. d., to examine a resident’s clinical records.
(6) EQUAL ACCESS TO QUALITY CARE. (a) A nursing facility
shall establish and maintain identical policies and practices regarding transfer, discharge and the provision of services required
under the approved state medicaid plan for all individuals regardless of payment.
(b) Paragraph (a) may not be construed to prohibit a nursing
facility from charging any amount for services furnished, consistent with the notice required under sub. (3) (b) 3.
(c) Paragraph (a) may not be construed to require the department to provide additional services on behalf of a resident than
are otherwise provided under the approved state medicaid plan.
(7) ADMISSIONS POLICY. (a) Except as provided in par. (b),
with respect to admissions practices of a nursing facility:
1. A nursing facility may not require individuals applying to
reside or residing in the facility to waive their rights to benefits
under medical assistance or under medicare.
2. A nursing facility may not require oral or written assurance that individuals applying to reside or residing in the nursing
facility are ineligible for or will not apply for medical assistance
or medicare.
3. A nursing facility shall prominently display written information in the nursing facility and provide oral and written information to individuals applying to reside or residing in the nursing
facility concerning how to apply for and use benefits under medical assistance and how to receive refunds for previous payments
covered by these benefits.
4. A nursing facility may not require a 3rd-party guarantee of
payment to the nursing facility as a condition of admission or expedited admission to or continued stay in the nursing facility.
5. With respect to an individual who is entitled to medical assistance for nursing facility services, a nursing facility may not
charge, solicit, accept or receive, in addition to any amount otherwise required to be paid under the approved state medicaid plan,
a gift, money, donation or other consideration as a precondition
of admitting or expediting the admission of an individual to the
nursing facility or as a requirement for the individual’s continued
stay in the facility.
(b) Paragraph (a) may not be construed to do any of the
following:
1. Prevent the department from prohibiting discrimination
against individuals who are entitled to medical assistance under
the approved state medicaid plan with respect to admissions practices of nursing facilities.
1m. Permit a county, city, town or village to implement nursing facility admissions policies that conflict with state law.
2. Prevent a nursing facility from requiring an individual
who has legal access to a resident’s income or resources available
to pay for care in the nursing facility, to sign a contract, without
incurring personal financial liability, to provide payment from
the resident’s income or resources for care in the nursing facility.
3. Prevent a nursing facility from charging a resident who is
eligible for medical assistance for items or services that the resident has requested and received and that are not included in the
approved state medicaid plan.
4. Prohibit a nursing facility from soliciting, accepting or receiving a charitable, religious or philanthropic contribution from
an organization or from a person who is unrelated to the resident
or potential resident, but only to the extent that the contribution is
not a condition of admission, expediting admission or continued
stay in the nursing facility.
(8) PROTECTION OF RESIDENT FUNDS. (a) A nursing facility:
1. May not require a resident to deposit his or her personal
funds with the nursing facility.
2. Upon the written authorization of a resident, shall hold,
safeguard and account for the resident’s personal funds under a
system established and maintained by the nursing facility that is
in accordance with par. (b).
(b) Upon written authorization of a resident under par. (a), the
nursing facility shall manage and account for the resident’s personal funds deposited with the nursing facility as follows:
1. The nursing facility shall deposit any amount of a resident’s personal funds in excess of $50 in an interest-bearing account that is separate from any of the nursing facility’s operating
accounts and credits all interest earned on the separate account to
the account. The nursing facility shall maintain a resident’s personal funds that do not exceed $50 in a noninterest-bearing account or petty cash fund.
2. The nursing facility shall assure a full and complete separate accounting of the personal funds of each resident for whom
the facility has written authorization, maintain a written record of
all financial transactions involving the personal funds of the resident deposited with the nursing facility and afford the resident or
the resident’s legal representative with reasonable access to the
record.
3. The nursing facility shall notify each resident receiving
medical assistance of all of the following:
a. When the amount in the resident’s account is $200 less
than the dollar amount permitted under 42 USC 1381 to 1385.
b. That if the amount in the account, in addition to the value
of the resident’s other nonexempt resources, reaches the amount
under 42 USC 1382 (a) (3) (B) the resident may lose eligibility
for medical assistance or for supplemental security income
benefits.
4. Upon the death of a resident with an account under subd.
1., the nursing facility shall promptly convey the resident’s personal funds and a final accounting of the funds to the individual
administering the resident’s estate.

5. The nursing facility shall purchase a surety bond or otherwise provide satisfactory assurance of the security of all personal
funds of residents that are deposited with the nursing facility.
6. The nursing facility may not impose a charge against the
personal funds of a resident for any item or service for which payment is made by medical assistance or medicare.
(8m) POSTING OF SURVEY RESULTS. A nursing facility shall
post in a place that is readily accessible to residents, residents’
family members and residents’ legal representatives, the results
of the most recent survey of the facility conducted under sub.
(13).
(9) ADMINISTRATION REQUIREMENTS. (a) A nursing facility
shall be administered in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental and psychosocial well-being of
each resident, consistent with federal regulations.
(b) If a change occurs in any of the following, the nursing facility shall provide notice to the department, at the time of the
change, of the change and the identity of each new person or company under the change:
1. The persons with an ownership or control interest in the
nursing facility.
2. The persons who are officers, directors, agents or managing employees of the nursing facility.
3. The corporation, association or other company responsible for the management of the nursing facility.
4. The individual who is the administrator or director of the
nursing facility.
(c) The administrator of a nursing facility shall meet standards established under 42 USC 1396r (f) (4).
(10) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS. (a) A nursing facility shall
be licensed under s. 50.03 (1).
(b) Except as waived under 42 USC 1396r (d) (2) (B) (i) or
found under 42 USC 1396r (d) (2) (B) (ii), a nursing facility shall
meet the provisions that are applicable to nursing homes of the
edition of the life safety code of the national fire protection association specified in federal regulations.
(11) INFECTION CONTROL. A nursing facility shall do all of
the following:
(a) Establish and maintain an infection control program designed to provide a safe, sanitary and comfortable environment in
which residents reside and to help prevent the development and
transmission of disease and infection.
(b) Be designed, constructed, equipped and maintained in a
manner so as to protect the health and safety of residents, personnel and the general public.
(12) COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS, REGULATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS. (a) A nursing facility shall operate and provide services in compliance with all applicable state laws and
federal regulations and with accepted professional standards and
principles that apply to professionals providing services in the
nursing facility.
(b) A nursing facility shall meet requirements relating to the
health and safety of residents or relating to physical facilities for
the health and safety of residents under regulations promulgated
by the federal department of health and human services.
(13) ANNUAL STANDARD SURVEY. A nursing facility is subject to a standard survey under 42 USC 1396r (g) (2) (A) (i). No
person may notify a nursing facility or cause a nursing facility to
be notified of the time or date on which the survey is scheduled to
be conducted.
(14) RULE MAKING. The department shall promulgate all of
the following rules:
(a) Establishing a fair mechanism meeting the requirements
of 42 USC 1396r (e) (3) and (f) (3) for hearing appeals on transfers and discharges of residents from nursing facilities.
(b) Specifying an instrument for use in performing assessments of residents under sub. (2) (c) 1. c.
(c) Establishing criteria for the denial of payment under s.
49.45 (6m) (d) 5., for the imposition of forfeitures under sub. (16)
(b), for the placement of a monitor or appointment of a receiver
for a facility under sub. (17) and for closure of a facility under
sub. (18) that do all of the following:
1. Are consistent with federal regulations promulgated to interpret 42 USC 1396r.
2. Are designed so as to minimize the time between the identification of violations and final imposition of the penalties.
3. Provide incrementally more severe penalties for repeated
or uncorrected deficiencies.
(d) Establishing the percentage of interest to be assessed under sub. (16) (d).
(15) CLASSIFICATION OF VIOLATIONS. (a) A class “1” violation is a violation of this section or of the rules promulgated under this section which creates a condition or occurrence relating
to the operation and maintenance of a nursing facility presenting
a substantial probability that death or serious mental or physical
harm to a resident will result therefrom.
(b) A class “2” violation is a violation of this section or of the
rules promulgated under this section which creates a condition or
occurrence relating to the operation and maintenance of a nursing
facility directly threatening to the health, safety or welfare of a
resident.
(c) A class “3” violation is a violation of this section or of the
rules promulgated under this section which creates a condition or
occurrence relating to the operation and maintenance of a nursing
facility which does not directly threaten the health, safety or welfare of a resident.
(d) Each day of violation constitutes a separate violation. The
department shall have the burden of showing that a violation existed on each day for which a forfeiture is assessed. No forfeiture
may be assessed for a condition for which the nursing facility has
received a variance or waiver of a standard.
(16) FORFEITURES, PENALTY ASSESSMENTS AND INTEREST.
(a) Any operator or owner of a nursing facility which is in violation of this section or any rule promulgated under this section
may be subject to the following forfeitures:
1. A class “1” violation may be subject to a forfeiture of not
more than $250 for each violation.
2. A class “2” violation may be subject to a forfeiture of not
more than $125 for each violation.
3. A class “3” violation may be subject to a forfeiture of not
more than $60 for each violation.
(b) In determining whether a forfeiture is to be imposed and in
fixing the amount of the forfeiture to be imposed, if any, for a violation, factors shall be considered that are established in rules
that shall be promulgated by the department consistent with federal regulations promulgated to interpret 42 USC 1396r.
(c) 1. Whenever the department imposes a forfeiture under
par. (a) for a violation of this section or the rules promulgated under this section, the department shall in addition levy a penalty
assessment in the following amounts:
a. For a class “1” violation, not less than $5,100 nor more
than $10,000.
b. For a class “2” violation, not less than $2,600 nor more
than $5,000.
c. For a class “3” violation, not less than $100 nor more than
$2,500.

2. Notwithstanding subd. 1., whenever the department imposes a forfeiture under par. (a) for the violation of the following,
the department shall levy a penalty assessment in the following
amounts:
a. For a violation of sub. (2) (c) 3., $1,000.
b. For a violation of sub. (2) (c) 4., $5,000.
c. For a violation of sub. (13), $2,000.
3. If multiple violations are involved, the penalty assessment
levied under subd. 1. or 2. shall be based on the total forfeitures
for all violations.
(d) If the period of the violation under par. (a) is longer than
one day, the penalty assessment shall additionally include interest
for each day of the period at a rate established in rules that the department shall promulgate, except that no interest shall be computed for a day in the period between the date on which a request
for a hearing, if any, is filed under par. (f) and the date of the conclusion of all administrative and judicial proceedings arising out
of the imposition of a forfeiture under par. (a).
(dm) In determining whether a forfeiture is to be imposed and
in fixing the amount of the forfeiture to be imposed, if any, for a
violation, factors shall be considered that are established in rules
that shall be promulgated by the department consistent with federal regulations promulgated to interpret 42 USC 1396r.
(e) The department may directly assess forfeitures provided
for under par. (a), penalty assessments provided for under par. (c)
and interest provided for under par. (d). If the department determines that a forfeiture should be assessed for a particular violation or for failure to correct it, it shall send a notice of assessment
to the nursing facility. The notice shall specify the amount of the
forfeiture assessed, the amount of the penalty assessment, the violation, the statute or rule alleged to have been violated, and shall
inform the licensee of the right to hearing under par. (f).
(f) A nursing facility may contest an assessment of forfeiture,
penalty assessment or interest, if any, by sending a written request
for hearing under s. 227.44 to the division of hearings and appeals
created under s. 15.103 (1). The administrator may designate a
hearing examiner to preside over the case and recommend a decision to the administrator under s. 227.46. The decision of the administrator shall be the final administrative decision. The division shall commence the hearing within 30 days of receipt of the
request for hearing and shall issue a final decision within 15 days
after the close of the hearing. Proceedings before the division are
governed by ch. 227. In any petition for judicial review of a decision by the division, the department, if not the petitioner who was
in the proceeding before the division, shall be the named
respondent.
(g) All forfeitures, penalty assessments, and interest, if any,
shall be paid to the department within 10 days of receipt of notice
of assessment or, if the forfeiture, penalty assessment, and interest, if any, are contested under par. (f), within 10 days of receipt
of the final decision after exhaustion of administrative review,
unless the final decision is appealed and the order is stayed by
court order under sub. (19) (b). The department shall remit all
forfeitures paid to the secretary of administration for deposit in
the school fund. The department shall deposit all penalty assessments and interest in the appropriation under s. 20.435 (6) (g).
(h) The attorney general may bring an action in the name of
the state to collect any forfeiture, penalty assessment or interest,
if any, imposed under par. (e) or (f) if the forfeiture, penalty assessment or interest, if any, has not been paid following the exhaustion of all administrative and judicial reviews. The only issue to be contested in any such action shall be whether the forfeiture, penalty assessment or interest has been paid.
(16m) APPEALS PROCEDURES. Appeals procedures under
this section shall be consistent with the requirements specified in
42 CFR 431.151 (a) and (b). Any appeals under this section shall
be filed with the division of hearings and appeals created under s.
15.103 (1).
(17) TEMPORARY MANAGEMENT. Any nursing facility that is
in violation of this section or any rule promulgated under this section may be subject to placement of a monitor or appointment of
a receiver, under the procedures and criteria specified in s. 50.05
and under criteria promulgated as rules by the department under
sub. (14) (c).
(18) NURSING FACILITY CLOSURE AND RESIDENT TRANSFER.
(a) Any nursing facility that is in violation of this section or any
rule promulgated under this section may, in an emergency as determined by the department, be subject to closure by the department or to the transfer of residents of the nursing facility to another nursing facility, or both, under criteria promulgated as rules
by the department under sub. (14) (c).
(b) A nursing facility may contest closure of the nursing facility or transfer of residents of the nursing facility, if any, by sending a written request for hearing under s. 227.44 to the division of
hearings and appeals created under s. 15.103 (1). The administrator may designate a hearing examiner to preside over the case
and recommend a decision to the administrator under s. 227.46.
The decision of the administrator shall be the final administrative
decision. The division shall commence the hearing within 30
days of receipt of the request for hearing and shall issue a final
decision within 15 days after the close of the hearing. Proceedings before the division are governed by ch. 227. In any petition
for judicial review of a decision by the division, the department,
if not the petitioner who was in the proceeding before the division, shall be the named respondent.
(19) JUDICIAL REVIEW. (a) All administrative remedies shall
be exhausted before an agency determination under this section
shall be subject to judicial review. Final decisions after hearing
shall be subject to judicial review exclusively as provided in s.
227.52, except that any petition for review of department action
under this section shall be filed within 15 days after receipt of notice of the final agency determination.
(b) The court may stay enforcement under s. 227.54 of the department’s final decision if a showing is made that there is a substantial probability that the party seeking review will prevail on
the merits and will suffer irreparable harm if a stay is not granted,
and that the nursing facility will meet the requirements of this
section and the rules promulgated under this section during such
stay. Where a stay is granted the court may impose such conditions on the granting of the stay as may be necessary to safeguard
the lives, health, rights, safety and welfare of residents, and to assure compliance by the nursing facility with the requirements of
this section.
(c) The attorney general may delegate to the department the
authority to represent the state in any action brought to challenge
department decisions prior to exhaustion of administrative remedies and final disposition by the division of hearings and appeals
created under s. 15.103 (1).
(20) VIOLATIONS. If an act forms the basis for a violation of
this section and s. 50.04, the department or the attorney general
may impose sanctions in conformity with this section or under s.
50.04, but not both.

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