Keating signs nursing home bill

Friday, May 10th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Gov. Frank Keating signed 13 bills into law Thursday, including legislation that authorizes the state to suspend or revoke the operating licenses of financially troubled nursing homes.

The measure authorizes the commissioner of health to suspend or revoke the license of a nursing home that does not have sufficient financial or other resources to provide adequate patient care.

When action is taken against a financially troubled nursing home, the Department of Health is authorized to review conditions at any other facility that is owned or operated by a person with a controlling interest in the troubled home, the measure says.

The bill also creates a fund for administrative penalties imposed under the act to offset expenses that are incurred by the department when it names temporary managers, state monitors or receivers to troubled nursing homes.

Expenses include relocating patients from closed facilities, maintenance of the facilities and costs associated with informational meetings with nursing home residents, family members and others.