Discharge for Cause, Nonpayment, Refusal of Services, and Patient-Initiated Discharge

Sets how the Agency handles a patient's refusal of services, a patient's decision to leave the Agency, nonpayment, and discharge for cause. A patient may refuse any service and may choose to be discharged or transferred at any time. Florida's written termination notice and referral rule does not apply to private-pay or privately insured patients who default through nonpayment, but the Agency still gives written notice and offers social work assistance when private funds run out. If the Agency is Medicare-certified, it may discharge for cause only under this policy, after advising the patient, representative, and practitioners that discharge for cause is being considered, trying to resolve the problem, giving contact information for other providers, and documenting the problem and the efforts in the clinical record. Refusals and missed visits are always documented so that a pattern of services not provided can be explained.