A Brookhaven nursing home is back in good standing with Medicaidafter briefly being deemed out of compliance for participation inthe health care program.

“It’s all cleared,” said Gussie Ashley, Silver Cross Homeadministrator, Monday.

On May 21, state Medicaid officials published a public noticethat Medicaid’s agreement with Silver Cross would be terminated onJune 6 because the facility was not in compliance with requirementsfor participation. The notice said Medicaid payments would not bemade to the home after that date.

However, two days later, on May 23, the public notice wasretracted. The retraction said Silver Cross Home will continue as aMedicaid services provider.

Francis Rullan, public relations director for the state Divisionof Medicaid, declined to discuss the situation that led to thenursing home’s being out of compliance. He cited patient privacyguidelines under the new Health Insurance Portability andAccountability Act (HIPAA).

In May, Ashley said, a resident learned the code to open one ofthe home’s security doors and briefly left the facility. She saidthe resident was retrieved within five minutes and was not injured,but the incident did warrant Medicaid officials’ attention.

“They take that seriously,” said Ashley, who said she could notrelease any information about the resident.

Ashley said Silver Cross officials reported the incident toMedicaid.

“That’s self-reporting,” Ashley said. “They came down and gaveus a citation.”