Preadmission Screening & Resident Review for Younger Nursing Facility Residents With Mental Retardation

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) sought to determine the extent to which Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) screenings are were conducted for Medicaid nursing facility residents between the ages of 22 and 64 with a primary diagnosis of mental retardation. The OIG evaluated 101 resident case files and 121 randomly selected Level II evaluations completed in 2004 from five states. The OIG found that 88% of sampled files had a Level I screening; however nearly a quarter were completed following facility admission.

The PASRR is intended to ensure that only individuals needing nursing facility-level care are admitted. The PASRR has two levels Level I determines possible mental retardation and Level II confirms whether the applicant has mental retardation, assesses the applicants need for nursing facility services, and determines whether the applicant requires specialized services for mental retardation. The PASRR is intended to ensure that only individuals needing nursing facility-level care are admitted