Nursing homes; periodic medical visits and resident assessments.

SENATE BILL NO. 555

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the Senate Committee on Education and Health

on February 12, 2026)

(Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Sturtevant)

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 32.1 sections numbered
32.1-138.5:2
and
32.1-138.5:3
, relating to nursing homes; periodic medical visits and resident assessments.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 32.1 sections numbered
32.1-138.5:2
and
32.1-138.5:3
as follows:

§
32.1-1
38.
5:2
.
Periodic medical visits
.

If any
required
visit
s to a resident by a phy
s
ician
do not take place in accordance with the
federal physician visit
schedule described in
42 CFR § 483.30(c)
,
any
nursing home
licensed under this chapter
shall send notice to the resident, the resident's family or legal representative, and the Department.

§
32.1-138
.
5:3
. Resident assessment and
plan of care
.

A. All nursing
homes
licensed under this
c
hapter shall conduct
comprehensive
assessment
s
of each resident's needs
pursuant to subsection B
.
Such
assessment
s

shall accurately describe the resident's capability to perform daily life functions and significant impairments in functional capacity
, and
shall include:

1. Medically defined conditions and prior medical history;

2. Medical status;

3. Physical and mental
functional status;

4. Sensory and physical impairments;

5. Nutritional status and requirements;

6. Special treatments or procedures;

7. Psychosocial status;

8. Discharge potential;

9. Dental condition;

10. Activities potential;

11. Rehabilitative potential;

12.
Cognitive status;

13. Drug therapy; and

14. Any known advance directives.

B. The nursing facility shall conduct a complete assessment
as described in subsection A
:

1. No later than 14 days after the date of admission;

2. Promptly after a significant change in the resident's physical or mental condition; and

3. In all cases, at least once every
366 days
.

C. The nursing
home
shall review each resident's assessment at least once every
92 days
and shall update the plan of care as indicated.

D. Each assessment shall be coordinated by a registered nurse who si
g
ns, dates, and certifies completion of the assessment.

E. Each assessment shall be conducted or co
ordinated with the

participation of health professionals. Each person completing a portion of the assessment shall sign and date
such
portion of the assessment.

F. The nursing
home
shall use the results of the assessment to develop, review, and revise the resident's comprehensive plan of care.

G.
The nursing home shall de
velop a
comprehensive plan of care for each resident
within seven days of completion of the comprehensive assessment
.
Such
plan shall include measurab
le objectives and timetables to meet the resident's medical, nursing, nutritional, and psychosocial needs identified in the comprehensive assessment. The plan shall also describe the services that are to be furnished to maintain or improve the resident's physical, mental, and psychosocial status.

Upon request, a
copy

or summary
of su
ch comprehensive plan of care
, as defined by the facility's established policy,
shall be delivered to the resident and the resident's family or legal representative within seven days of completion.

H
. The comprehensive plan of care
required pursuant to subsection G
shall be prepared by a multidisciplinary team. The multidisciplinary team shall include a registered nurse, the attending physician, to the extent practicable, and other staff in disciplines as determined by the resident's needs. The resident

and
the resident's family or legal representative shall also be provided a meaningful opportunity to participate in
developing
the
plan of
care
.