HOSPITAL GRIEVANCE REQUIREMENTS

State‑by‑State Comparison (Table 2A)

This table provides a 51‑state comparison of hospital grievance requirements, including definitions, required response timelines, written notice elements, internal investigation standards, documentation rules, and any state‑specific reporting obligations.

All content is sourced from state statutes, regulations, and CMS Conditions of Participation.

State Definition Timeline Written Notice Investigation Documentation Oversight Agency State Law? Accreditation Citation
Alaska CMS definition Policy-defined Required Required Required Required No TJC / DNV / HFAP CMS
Arizona CMS definition Policy-defined Required Required Required Required No TJC / DNV / HFAP CMS
Arkansas CMS definition Policy-defined Required Required Required Required No TJC / DNV / HFAP CMS
California Complaint re care, rights, or safety Defined by state & policy Required Required Required Required Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP Title 22 CCR; CMS
Colorado CMS definition Policy-defined Required Required Required Required No TJC / DNV / HFAP CMS
Connecticut CMS definition Policy-defined Required Required Required Required No TJC / DNV / HFAP CMS
Delaware CMS definition Policy-defined Required Required Required Required No TJC / DNV / HFAP CMS
District of Columbia CMS definition ~7–30 days Required Required Required Required No TJC / DNV / HFAP CMS
Florida Complaint including billing disputes 7 business days (billing) Required Required Required Required Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP Fla. Stat. §395.301; CMS
Georgia No hospital-specific grievance statute; CMS governs hospital grievance process Policy-defined (CMS baseline) Required (CMS) Required Required (CMS baseline) Georgia Department of Public Health No TJC / DNV / HFAP 42 C.F.R. §482.13; Ga. Code §43-34A-6
Hawaii No state hospital grievance statute located; CMS grievance definition applies Policy-defined (CMS baseline) Required (CMS) Required Required (CMS baseline) Hawaii Department of Health No TJC / DNV / HFAP 42 C.F.R. §482.13; HI general provider grievance rules (non-hospital-specific)
Idaho Formal or informal complaint not resolved at the time of occurrence Policy-defined (state-required) Required Required Required State survey agency (per CMS) Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP Idaho Admin. Code r. 16.03.14.225
Illinois Grievances alleging unlawful discrimination must be investigated Policy-defined (CMS baseline) Required Required Required Illinois Department of Public Health Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP 410 ILCS 50/5.1 (Medical Patient Rights Act)
Indiana No hospital-specific grievance statute; CMS baseline applies Policy-defined (CMS baseline) Required (CMS) Required Required (CMS baseline) Indiana State Department of Health No TJC / DNV / HFAP 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Iowa No hospital-specific grievance statute; CMS baseline applies Policy-defined (CMS baseline) Required (CMS) Required Required (CMS baseline) Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals No TJC / DNV / HFAP 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Kansas No hospital-specific grievance statute; CMS baseline applies Policy-defined (CMS baseline) Required (CMS) Required Required (CMS baseline) Kansas Department of Health and Environment No TJC / DNV / HFAP 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Kentucky No hospital-specific grievance statute; CMS baseline applies Policy-defined (CMS baseline) Required (CMS) Required Required (CMS baseline) Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services No TJC / DNV / HFAP 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Louisiana No explicit hospital grievance statute; CMS baseline applies Policy-defined (CMS baseline) Required (CMS) Required Required (CMS baseline) Louisiana Department of Health No TJC / DNV / HFAP 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Maine No hospital-specific grievance statute; CMS baseline applies Policy-defined (CMS baseline) Required (CMS) Required Required (CMS baseline) Maine Department of Health and Human Services No TJC / DNV / HFAP 42 C.F.R. §482.13; Maine patient rights statute
Maryland Hospitals must include a complaint and grievance process in patient rights Policy-defined (CMS baseline) Required (CMS) Required Required Maryland Office of Health Care Quality Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP Md. Code Regs. 10.07.01.36
Massachusetts Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or rights Regulation- and policy-defined Required Required Required Massachusetts Department of Public Health Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 111, §70E; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Michigan Written or verbal complaint regarding care or patient rights Prompt / Policy-defined Required Required Required Michigan LARA Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP MCL §333.20201; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Minnesota Complaint or concern regarding care, safety, or patient rights Reasonable / CMS baseline Required Required Required Minnesota OHFC Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP Minn. Stat. §144.651; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Mississippi No hospital-specific grievance statute; CMS baseline applies Policy-defined (CMS baseline) Required (CMS) Required Required (CMS baseline) Mississippi State Department of Health No TJC / DNV / HFAP 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Missouri No hospital-specific grievance statute; CMS baseline applies Policy-defined (CMS baseline) Required (CMS) Required Required (CMS baseline) Missouri DHSS No TJC / DNV / HFAP 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Montana Complaint regarding care, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required (CMS) Required Required Montana DPHHS Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP Mont. Code Ann. §50‑5‑1104; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Nebraska Complaint regarding care, treatment, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required Nebraska DHHS Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP Neb. Rev. Stat. §71‑444; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Nevada Complaint regarding care, treatment, abuse, neglect, or patient rights Reasonable / CMS baseline Required Required Required Nevada DHHS Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP NRS §449.700; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
New Hampshire Complaint regarding care, treatment, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required New Hampshire DHHS Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP NH Rev. Stat. §151:21; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
New Jersey Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required New Jersey Department of Health Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP N.J.A.C. 8:43G‑4.1; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
New Mexico Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required New Mexico Department of Health Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP NMAC 7.7.2; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
New York Complaint regarding care, safety, or patient rights Policy-defined (state oversight) Required Required Required NY DOH Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP NY Public Health Law; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
North Carolina Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required NC DHSR Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP N.C. Gen. Stat. §131E‑120; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
North Dakota Complaint regarding care, treatment, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required North Dakota Department of Health Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP N.D. Admin. Code §33‑07‑01.1; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Ohio Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required Ohio Department of Health Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP Ohio Rev. Code §3727.17; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Oklahoma Complaint regarding care, treatment, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required Oklahoma State Department of Health Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP 63 O.S. §1‑707; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Oregon Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required Oregon Health Authority Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP ORS §441.055; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Pennsylvania Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required Pennsylvania Department of Health Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP 28 Pa. Code §103.22; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Rhode Island Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required Rhode Island Department of Health Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP R.I. Gen. Laws §23‑17‑19.1; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
South Carolina Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required SC DHEC Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP S.C. Code Regs. 61‑16; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
South Dakota Complaint regarding care, treatment, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required South Dakota Department of Health Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP ARSD 44:04; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Tennessee Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required Tennessee Department of Health Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP Tenn. Code Ann. §68‑11‑804; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Texas Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required Texas HHS Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP 25 TAC §133.42; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Utah Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required Utah Department of Health Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP Utah Admin. Code R432‑100; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Vermont Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required Vermont Department of Health Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP 18 V.S.A. §1852; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Virginia Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required Virginia Department of Health Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP 12VAC5‑410‑230; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Washington Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required Washington State Department of Health Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP WAC 246‑320‑141; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
West Virginia Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required WV DHHR Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP W. Va. Code §16‑5B‑6; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Wisconsin Complaint regarding care, treatment, safety, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required Wisconsin DHS Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP Wis. Stat. §51.61; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
Wyoming Complaint regarding care, treatment, or patient rights Prompt / CMS baseline Required Required Required Wyoming Department of Health Yes TJC / DNV / HFAP Wyo. Stat. §35‑2‑910; 42 C.F.R. §482.13
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