S. 3532 — State Veterans Homes Inspection Simplification Act

This section establishes a deeming process under Medicare (SSA §1819) and Medicaid (SSA §1919) whereby State veterans homes (i.e., state-operated long-term care facilities for eligible veterans, as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101, that receive VA per diem grants) certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are deemed to meet nursing facility conditions of participation in subsections (b) through (i), effective 90 days after enactment. Deemed status requires (1) VA provision of inspection documentation (e.g., survey findings, deficiencies, corrective actions) to the Secretary upon request; (2) VA submission of State home survey standards and procedures not less than every two years for joint review with CMS to confirm alignment with Medicare conditions; and (3) Secretary approval of VA standards, after consultation with the VA Secretary, ensuring they include CMS survey protocols and enforcement expectations and uphold equivalent standards of care, safety, transparency, and accountability. The Secretary retains authority to conduct complaint investigations or surveys, impose remedies (e.g., civil monetary penalties, termination), revoke deeming status for inconsistencies in VA processes, and publicly report VA survey data via the Nursing Home Care Compare website or equivalent.

This section requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in coordination with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), to incorporate inspection findings, deficiency statements, and quality metrics from VA-certified State homes (i.e., state-operated nursing homes, domiciliaries, and adult day health care facilities eligible for VA per diem payments) into the Nursing Home Care Compare website (or successor website), to the extent feasible and consistent with SSA disclosure limits. The section further requires HHS, in consultation with VA and not later than 180 days after enactment, to issue guidance aligning certification and data reporting processes for such State homes to ensure consistency and transparency in public reporting of quality and compliance information.