Discharge notice? Send it Certified.

By the USMail.ai team, more than 50 years of combined expertise in printing and mailing

Direct answer: The resident's representative is sent a written copy of the transfer or discharge notice, and we print it and mail it by Certified Mail with USPS tracking. You upload the notice, check the proof and the full price, and approve. Mail is the follow-up copy only, after you give the notice in person.

Statutes checked October 29, 2026: 42 CFR 483.15(c) on eCFR. This rule covers nursing facilities in Medicare or Medicaid. Your state may require its own notice form. General information, not legal advice.

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Is the mailed notice the first notice?

No. Mail is the follow-up copy only. The facility explains and gives the notice to the resident first, in a language and manner they understand, and then mails a written copy to the representative and keeps one on file. When a transfer can't wait, such as an urgent medical need or a safety risk, the rule calls for notice as soon as practicable, so give it by faster means than mail first. USPS lists First-Class Mail at 1-5 business days on its First-Class Mail page, and USPS delivery times vary, so mail early enough.

What does the federal rule require?

Under 42 CFR 483.15(c)(3), before a nursing facility transfers or discharges a resident, it must notify the resident and the resident's representatives in writing, with the reasons, and send a copy to a representative of the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. Under (c)(4), the notice generally goes at least 30 days ahead, with listed exceptions where it goes as soon as practicable. Under (c)(5), it must include the reason, the effective date, the location, and a statement of appeal rights, among other items. Your counsel can confirm what applies to you.

Should we use our state's form?

Often, yes. Facility staff fill in the form, the administrator signs it, and the business office prepares the mailed copy. Several states publish their own transfer and discharge notice forms. Fill in the form your state requires, then upload it as the letter. We print exactly what you upload.

Why send the copy by Certified Mail?

The copy goes to one person, and the facility usually wants a USPS record that it was mailed. Certified Mail is $1.15 plus the current USPS Certified Mail fee, which USPS publishes in Notice 123. We don't offer paper Return Receipt yet. If your policy calls for a signed return card, plan another way to get one, because we can't add it.

How does mailing work on USMail.ai?

You upload. You approve. We produce. You upload the letter as a PDF or document, add your list, and check the proof on screen. You see the complete price before you approve, and nothing prints until a person on your staff says yes. From our own production floor: we print, envelope and hand each piece to USPS, and you see the proof and the full price before you approve. Every address comes from you. We check every address before mailing, and the AI never suggests or adds one. Each notice is about one resident, so upload each one as its own mailing. If the same notice goes to two representatives, add both addresses to that mailing's list.

If plans change, you can unapprove an approved job before its mail date, and the money goes back on your meter balance, not your card. A meter balance is optional, and you can pay per mailing.

What does it cost?

Letters starting at $1.15, postage included. For a one-page, single-sided, black-and-white First-Class letter. A Certified letter costs more, and you see the full price before you approve. USMail.ai is an AI print-to-mail platform, not USPS.

What does USMail.ai not do?

We don't decide whether a discharge is allowed, prepare the notice, contact the ombudsman or handle appeals. Send the ombudsman copy the way your state program asks. We print the notice you upload, exactly as approved, and hand it to USPS. Keep your own copy and the tracking number in the resident's record. Other facility letters are on the nursing home notices page, including rate increase letters.

What do people ask about USMail.ai?

How much notice does a nursing home have to give before a discharge?

Under 42 CFR 483.15(c)(4), generally at least 30 days, with listed exceptions where notice goes as soon as practicable.

Is the mailed letter enough on its own?

Mail is the follow-up copy only. Give the notice in person first, and use faster means when a transfer can't wait.

Do you offer a paper Return Receipt?

No. We don't offer paper Return Receipt yet. Certified Mail comes with USPS tracking.

Do you send the ombudsman copy?

Only if you upload it as its own mailing with the ombudsman's address. Send it the way your state program asks.

When does my letter go to USPS?

By default, letters you approve before 10 p.m. CT are handed to USPS the next business day (Monday to Friday). USPS delivery times vary. USPS handles delivery from there. There are no contracts, subscriptions or setup fees.

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