Randy Susen Visitation Rights Act of 2025
The Randy Susen Visitation Rights Act of 2025 would require skilled nursing facilities that participate in the Medicare (Title XVIII) and Medicaid (Title XIX) programs to allow unrestricted, immediate visitation by at least one person designated by the resident. The resident retains the right to deny or withdraw the designation at any time, but facilities would not be allowed to impose other restrictions or conditions on that access. The measure targets facilities funded by Medicare/Medicaid and would require changes to the relevant statutory provisions for both programs. In short, the bill envisions residents having a guaranteed, barrier-free visitation right from at least one designated individual, with access not subject to additional staff-imposed restrictions, while preserving the resident’s control over who is designated or whether to revoke designation. Sponsored by Rep. Grothman (with cosponsors) and introduced in the 119th Congress, the bill was referred to the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce committees.
Key Points
- 1Requires unrestricted, immediate visitation by at least one individual designated by the resident, with the resident free to deny or withdraw the designation at any time.
- 2Applies to skilled nursing facilities participating in Medicare (Title XVIII) and Medicaid (Title XIX), by adding a new subparagraph to the existing visitation provisions.
- 3The new provision states: the designated visitor must have immediate access and face no other restrictions or limitations on access beyond the resident’s consent status.
- 4The resident’s right to designate, deny, or withdraw designation remains intact and can be exercised at any time.
- 5Implementation involves updating facility visitation policies to reflect the new requirement, with oversight and enforcement tied to CMS-administered Medicare/Medicaid programs.