Chicago Nursing Home Clears First Hurdle With Feds

A Chicago nursing home at risk of losing its federal funding has cleared a first hurdle.

U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services spokeswoman Elizabeth Surgener said her agency has approved Somerset Place’s plan for dealing with threats to residents’ safety.

The nursing home has been cited for fire hazards caused by smoking, staff-to-resident abuse, lack of supervision and administrative failures.

The government will conduct an unannounced visit to the facility to make sure the plan is working. And the facility must submit a larger plan for fixing other problems that aren’t such an immediate threat to residents.

More than 300 residents, many with serious mental illnesses, live at Somerset. Illinois is threatening to yank the home’s license if improvements aren’t made.