Senate subcommittee adopts substitute to expand nursing‑home visits and family transparency

RICHMOND — The Senate health‑professions subcommittee on Monday adopted a substitute to SB555 that would expand clinician contact and family access to care information in Virginia nursing homes.

Sen. Sturdivant, the bill’s patron, told the subcommittee the bill would keep a 30‑day clinician visit cadence for residents throughout the first 12 months of admission, allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants to perform most of those visits while requiring at least two physician visits during the year, permit telehealth visits, require the nursing home to proactively provide the resident’s care plan to a designated family member or representative, and require notification to a family member when a scheduled care visit is missed.

The measure, Sturdivant said, is designed to “build off the federal minimum” of care and “make sure people are being seen by a clinician more often.”

Representatives of the Virginia Healthcare Association raised practical concerns. Scott Johnson, general counsel for the association, said the state lacks a workforce study to show whether facilities can meet a strict 30‑day visit requirement statewide and warned of potential audits, corrective action plans and monetary penalties if federal or state visit frequencies are not met. Johnson said the association supported transparency but proposed giving families a concise summary of the care plan on request rather than automatically delivering 60‑ or 70‑page electronic or paper care‑plan records to every family.

April Payne, a registered nursing‑home administrator with the association, told the subcommittee that nursing staffs typically provide needed clinical care between scheduled physician visits and that forcing monthly clinician encounters could “bog down” staff time and pull attention from residents with immediate clinical needs.

Matt Bennett of Virginia Advocates for Seniors described the substitute as “thoughtful and crafted” and a workable compromise.

After discussion, the subcommittee moved and adopted a substitute and then voted to report the bill as amended. The clerk called the roll and recorded ayes on the report motion.

The substitute retains the bill’s core goals on increased clinician contact and family notification but also incorporates changes that address industry concerns over sanctions and record delivery practices, according to testimony. Committee members said they expect to continue technical work on implementation details before the bill advances.

What happens next: The subcommittee voted to report the substitute out of committee; the bill will move through the usual floor and chamber procedures next.