A former operator of 38 skilled nursing facilities accused of not supplying sign language interpretation for a deaf resident will shell out more than a quarter of a billion dollars to settle the allegations.
The $300,000 settlement agreement between LTC Holdings Inc. and the Department of Justice was announced Monday by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
LTC Holdings was accused of not providing American Sign Language services for a deaf resident who lived at a Virginia-based facility for 67 days, which is prohibited under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Under the agreement, LTC agreed to pay the deaf individual $225,000 and pay a $75,000 civil penalty to the federal government. The company also voluntarily changed its policies and procedures, and provided ADA training to its workers prior to selling its nursing facilities.
LTC, which previously operated Medical Facilities of America, agreed to sell more than 30 nursing homes with about 4,000 beds to Innovated Healthcare Management in the spring of this year.
A request for comment by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News to the Medical Facilities of America was not returned by production deadline.
