LEWISTOWN, MT - Federal health inspectors cited Valle Vista Rehabilitation and Nursing LLC for failing to provide residents with required documentation related to their care needs, appeal rights, and bed-hold policies following a complaint investigation completed on November 21, 2025.
Federal Inspectors Identify Documentation Gaps
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) investigation found Valle Vista Rehabilitation deficient under regulatory tag F0628, which requires nursing facilities to furnish residents and their representatives with proper written notification regarding their rights, care-related decisions, and facility policies.
Specifically, the facility failed to provide required documentation or notification related to resident needs, appeal rights, or bed-hold policies. These three categories represent fundamental protections guaranteed to every nursing home resident under federal law.
The deficiency was classified at Scope/Severity Level D, meaning the violation was isolated in nature and did not result in documented actual harm. However, inspectors determined there was potential for more than minimal harm to residents, an important distinction that triggered the formal citation.
Why Proper Notification Matters for Resident Care
Resident rights documentation may seem like a procedural formality, but these notifications serve as critical safeguards in the nursing home environment. Each category cited in this deficiency carries significant implications for residents and their families.
Appeal rights notifications inform residents of their ability to challenge decisions about their care, discharge, or transfer. Without this information, residents may not know they have the legal right to contest facility decisions that directly affect their lives. Federal regulations require facilities to clearly explain how, when, and where residents can file appeals.
Bed-hold policies are particularly important for residents who temporarily leave a facility for hospitalization or other reasons. These policies outline how long a facility will reserve a resident's bed during an absence and under what conditions. When residents are not informed of bed-hold terms, they risk returning from a hospital stay to find their room reassigned, a situation that can cause significant disruption and distress, particularly for individuals with cognitive conditions such as dementia.
Documentation related to resident needs encompasses written communication about care plans, treatment changes, and services the facility is obligated to provide. Proper documentation ensures residents and their families can make informed decisions about care and hold facilities accountable for delivering promised services.
Federal Standards for Resident Notification
Under the Nursing Home Reform Act and CMS regulations at 42 CFR §483.10 and §483.15, skilled nursing facilities must provide written notice to residents in a language and manner they can understand. This includes notification before any transfer or discharge, clear explanation of appeal procedures, and documentation of the facility's bed-hold policy at the time of admission and again before any transfer.
Facilities are expected to maintain systems that track whether each resident has received all required notifications and that updated information is provided whenever policies change or care decisions are made.
Correction Timeline
Valle Vista Rehabilitation reported correcting the deficiency as of December 12, 2025, approximately three weeks after the inspection. The facility was given a specific date of correction by regulators, indicating the provider acknowledged the issue and submitted a plan of correction to CMS.
Facility Background
Valle Vista Rehabilitation and Nursing LLC is a skilled nursing facility located in Lewistown, Montana. The citation emerged from a complaint investigation, meaning an individual — potentially a resident, family member, or staff member — filed a formal concern that prompted the federal inspection.
While Level D deficiencies represent the lower end of the severity scale, they remain part of the facility's public inspection record and are factored into CMS quality ratings. Repeated documentation failures, even at lower severity levels, can indicate broader systemic issues with administrative oversight and compliance protocols.
Families considering nursing home placement can review the full inspection report and facility ratings through the CMS Care Compare database at medicare.gov. Valle Vista's complete inspection history, staffing data, and quality measures are available for public review.
The full inspection report contains additional details about the specific circumstances of this deficiency. Readers seeking comprehensive information are encouraged to review the complete federal documentation.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Valle Vista Rehabilitation and Nursing LLC from 2025-11-21 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
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