On September 2, 2017, the Sacramento Bee reported that Eagle Crest, a Carmichael nursing home operated by Genesis Healthcare was closing following a June 22, 2017 notice from the Department of Public Health (DPH) advising it that it was recommending to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to terminate its provider agreement. CMS has classified Eagle Crest as a Special Focus Facility for the last three years, meaning it is considered one of the worst performing nursing homes in California. Before CMS acted on DPH’s termination recommendation, Eagle Crest issued notice it would be closing and filed a relocation plan with the DPH. The relocation plan indicates Eagle Crest could be moving many of the residents to other Genesis nursing homes, some of which also have poor compliance histories or are not near Carmichael.
Another Genesis nursing home, Brier Oak on Sunset in Los Angeles, is at risk of closing after failing to pass multiple inspections during 2017. It, too, has a history of poor care. CMS issued public notice on August 15 that it was terminating its Medicare provider agreement, but later rescinded this notice on September 27 after Brier Oak sought and apparently obtained a temporary restraining order on the basis of deficient notice by CMS. The fate of the facility and its residents is not clear at this time.
California law provides detailed relocation protections for residents during nursing home closures and residents have additional eviction rights that are described in CANHR’s fact sheet on transfer and discharge rights.
Genesis HealthCare is the nation’s largest nursing home chain. In 2014, the Sacramento Bee rated it as one of the poorest performing nursing home chains in California and Genesis has continued to be in the news due to poor care and neglect in its facilities.