For purposes of this part, a grievance is a complaint, either written or oral, expressing dissatisfaction with service delivery or the quality of care furnished.

(a) Process to resolve grievances. A PACE organization must have a formal written process to evaluate and resolve medical and nonmedical grievances by participants, their family members, or representatives.

(b) Notification to participants. Upon enrollment, and at least annually thereafter, the PACE organization must give a participant written information on the grievance process.

(c) Minimum requirements. At a minimum, the PACE organization's grievance process must include written procedures for the following:

(1) How a participant files a grievance.

(2) Documentation of a participant's grievance.

(3) Response to, and resolution of, grievances in a timely manner.

(4) Maintenance of confidentiality of a participant's grievance.

(d) Continuing care during grievance process. The PACE organization must continue to furnish all required services to the participant during the grievance process.

(e) Explaining the grievance process. The PACE organization must discuss with and provide to the participant in writing the specific steps, including timeframes for response, that will be taken to resolve the participant's grievance.

(f) Analyzing grievance information. The PACE organization must maintain, aggregate, and analyze information on grievance proceedings. This information must be used in the PACE organization's internal quality improvement program.

[64 FR 66279, Nov. 24, 1999, as amended at 84 FR 25675, June 3, 2019]