If a facility loses JC's accreditation, what is the immediate consequence?

When a facility loses Joint Commission (JC) accreditation, one of the immediate consequences is that the facility cannot accept any insurance payments. Accreditation by the Joint Commission is crucial for facilities to receive reimbursements from Medicare, Medicaid, and many private insurers. Without accreditation, the facility will likely be considered out of compliance with the standards necessary to provide care and to be reimbursed for services rendered, impacting their financial operations significantly.

Additionally, the loss of accreditation can lead to increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies, necessitating immediate corrective actions to regain compliance. Although losing accreditation can have various ripple effects, such as affecting patient admissions, it is primarily the issue of insurance payments that is the most immediate financial concern for the facility.