Regulations and Related Policies/Procedures
Pennsylvania’s skilled nursing facilities, assisted living residences and personal care homes care for tens of thousands of elderly and disabled Pennsylvanians every day. Because we are caring for people families, friends and neighbors each and every day, long-term care providers are heavily regulated. In fact, only the nuclear industry is more heavily regulated.
PHCA strives to assist our members to navigate through the complex and burdensome regulatory environment by providing the resources that you will find on these pages including links to state and federal agency websites and other helpful tools.
- The Department of Health is responsible for the licensing and oversight of all Pennsylvania nursing facilities.
- The Department of Human Services (DHS), Office of Medical Assistance Programs (OMAP) is the single state agency that administers the joint state/federal Medical Assistance Program. The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) within the Department of Human Services (DHS) is responsible for managing and overseeing the long term services and supports continuum within the Medical Assistance program, which includes nursing facility services and home and community-based services. Also within DHS is the Bureau of Human Services Licensing (BHSL) which is responsible for licensing assisted living residences and personal care homes.
- The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is an agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services responsible for administration of Medicare which is the federal health insurance program for seniors and Medicaid.