Henrico, Virginia — A prominent Virginia nursing home operator is accusing a state health inspector of bias and unprofessional conduct, even as several of its facilities face serious care violations — including one that lost federal funding.
Internal correspondence released by regulators shows executives with Medical Facilities of America (MFA) complained to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) in mid-2025 about what they described as a pattern of hostile behavior during inspections.
In letters sent in June and August, MFA Chief Operating Officer Craig Neiswanger alleged that a state inspector made disparaging remarks about the family-owned company. According to Neiswanger, the inspector suggested the facilities lacked corporate investment and warned that without improvements, the homes would continue receiving high-level violations and fines from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The company also cited comments allegedly made during inspections at Colonial Heights Rehabilitation and Nursing Center and Virginia Beach Healthcare and Rehab Center, where staff were told regulators were turning up the “heat” on MFA. MFA requested that the inspector be barred from its buildings.
Escalating enforcement actions
The complaints come amid mounting regulatory trouble.
In April 2025, surveyors cited Parham Health Care and Rehabilitation Center for repeated willful abuse, triggering federal fines. An earlier inspection at Virginia Beach Healthcare and Rehab documented substandard care, including infection control and abuse findings.
Most notably, Princess Anne Health and Rehab Center was terminated from Medicare and Medicaid in August 2025 after regulators found residents were not properly supervised — a rare and severe federal action.
Public data show MFA-affiliated facilities, including those tied to Lifeworks Rehab, hold low quality and staffing ratings from CMS.
VDH spokesperson Logan Anderson confirmed the agency met with MFA and called the discussion productive, but declined to comment on personnel matters. MFA spokesperson Mindie Barnett said the company is focused on moving forward under new state leadership.
The dispute highlights broader tension between regulators and operators in Virginia’s strained long-term care system, where inspection backlogs and staffing shortages have intensified scrutiny of nursing home oversight.
