Final answer:
True, standard surveys of long-term care facilities are indeed unannounced and are conducted at least every fifteen months to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that standard surveys of long-term care facilities are unannounced and conducted at least every fifteen months is True. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires that standard surveys, also known as regular or routine surveys, be conducted on a no-notice basis. Facilities do not receive prior warning of these inspections, which are intended to ensure compliance with federal health and safety regulations.
Standard surveys are generally required to be performed within 9 to 15 months of the previous survey. However, the exact frequency may vary depending on the findings from the most recent survey and the facility's history of compliance. By keeping surveys unannounced, CMS aims to gain an accurate assessment of the facility's typical operations and care practices, rather than prepared conditions for inspection.