(a) General certification requirement. To be certified, the State home must allow VA to survey the home in accordance with §51.31. A State home must be certified no later than 450 calendar days after the State home is recognized. Certifications expire 600 calendar days after the date of their issuance.

(b) Periodic certifications required. The Director of the VA medical center of jurisdiction will certify a State home based on a survey conducted at least once every 270-450 calendar days, at VA's discretion, and will notify the State official authorized to oversee operations of the State home of the decision regarding certification.

(c) Decreasing capacity for a program of care. The State must report any decreases in the capacity for a particular program of care to the Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care in VA Central Office, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420 no later than 30 calendar days after such decrease, and must provide an explanation for the decrease.

(d) Provisional certification—

(1) When issuance is required. After a VA survey, the Director must issue a provisional certification for the surveyed State home if the Director determines that all of the following are true:

(i) The State home does not meet one or more of the applicable requirements or standards in this part;

(ii) None of these deficiencies immediately jeopardize the health or safety of any resident or participant;

(iii) No later than 20 working days after receipt by the State home of the survey report, the State submitted to the Director a written plan to remedy each deficiency in a specified amount of time; and

(iv) The plan is reasonable and the Director has sent a written notice to the appropriate person(s) at the State home informing him or her that the Director agrees to the plan.

(2) Surveys to continue while under provisional certification. VA will continue to survey the State home while it is under a provisional certification in accordance with this section and §51.31. After such a survey, the Director will continue the provisional certification if the Director determines that the four criteria listed in paragraphs (c)(1)(i)-(iv) of this section are true.

(e) Notice and the right to appeal a denial of certification. A State home has the right to appeal when the Director determines that a State home does not meet the requirements of this part (i.e., denies certification). An appeal is not provided to a State for a State home that receives a provisional certification because, by providing the corrective action plan necessary to receive a provisional certification, a State demonstrates its acceptance of VA's determination that it does not meet the VA standards for which the corrective action plan was submitted.

(1) Notice of decision denying certification. The Director will issue in writing a decision denying certification that sets forth the specific standard(s) not met. The Director will send a copy of this decision to the State official authorized to oversee operations of the State home, and notify that official of the State's right to submit a written appeal to the Under Secretary for Health as stated in paragraph (e)(2) of this section. If the State home does not submit a timely written appeal, the Director's decision becomes final and VA will not pay per diem for any care provided on or after the 31st day after the State's receipt of the Director's decision.

(2) Appeal of denial of certification. The State must submit a written appeal no later than 30 calendar days after the date of the notice of the denial of certification. The appeal must explain why the denial of certification is inaccurate or incomplete and provide any relevant information not considered by the Director. Any appeal that does not identify a reason for disagreement will be returned to the sender without further consideration. If the State home submits a timely written appeal, the Director's decision will not take effect and VA will continue to pay per diem to the State home pending a decision by the Under Secretary for Health.

(3) Decision on appeal of a denial of certification. The Under Secretary for Health will review the matter, including any relevant supporting documentation, and issue a written decision that affirms or reverses the Director's decision. The State will be notified of the decision, which may be appealed to the Board of Veterans' Appeals (see 38 CFR part 20) if it results in a loss of per diem payments to the State. VA will terminate recognition and certification and discontinue per diem payments for care provided on and after the date of the Under Secretary for Health's decision affirming a denial of certification or on a later date that must be specified by the Under Secretary for Health.

(f) Other appeals. Appeals of matters not addressed in this section will be governed by 38 CFR part 20.

(The Office of Management and Budget has approved the information collection requirements in this section under control number 2900-0161)