How are Nursing Homes regulated?
All nursing homes in the USA are licensed by the appropriate state government agency like any other business, and are often regulated by the State Health Department or similar state agency. Any facility reimbursed under Medicare or Medicaid is also licensed under the Health Care Finance Administration, known as HCFA (a department of Health and Human Services of the Federal Government). Unannounced inspections are required to be conducted every 14 months by both state or Federal inspectors known as surveyors. Often HCFA will contract with the State to perform all the surveys.
