St. Thomas Sea View Nursing Home To Close

ST. THOMAS — An agreement between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and owners of Sea View Nursing Home will lead to the closure of the only skilled nursing home in the Virgin Islands by January 2016.

Closing Sea View came about  as part of a settlement between nursing home owners and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In exchange, Sea View owners agreed to end legal action challenging a decertification notice issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. 

The deal was announced July 30, the day Sea View was scheduled to receive its final reimbursement from CMS for reimbursement of cost for services provided to 31 patients still receiving care at the facility in Estate Bovoni.

Now, with the settlement in place, Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements can continue through June 30, 2016. Penalties and fines totaling $16,050 imposed on Sea View were also revoked. Those fines were assessed following a series of unfavorable inspections in September 2013, in March 2014, Sept. 2014 and April 2015.

Sea View owners have agreed to notify patients and their caregivers about the facility’s pending closure and to fully cooperate with the V.I. Government in arranging transfer for its residents. Because of its role as the local agency overseeing Medicare and Medicaid programs, the Department of Human Services is leading efforts on behalf of Gov. Kenneth Mapp.
St. Johnians have long relied on Sea View to care for sick and elderly relatives who could no longer be cared for at home.