In The News:
Long-term care facilities, nursing homes taking stimulus checks from Medicaid patients, FTC reports
WTSP.com
Tasha Cain
WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — The Federal Trade Commission has a warning for patients at nursing homes and other long term care facilities who are on Medicaid: You do not have to give them your stimulus money.
The warning from the FTC comes after it says it received multiple reports from different states across the country of nursing homes and assisted living facilities claiming that stimulus checks count as “resources” under the rules of federal benefit programs that must be used to pay for services.
The FTC goes on to encourage anyone who has a loved one in a long-term care facility who gets Medicaid to check on them and make sure they know this is not true.
Technically, those economic impact payments are, according to the CARES Act, a tax credit. Those don’t count as “resources” for federal benefits programs, like Medicaid, according to the FTC.
If a person in the care of one of these places has had this happen to them, their families are encouraged to get in touch with their state attorney and file a complaint.
While the FTC did not mention if this had been reported in Florida, it is possible because of the population of older people who move here to retire.
On average, a U.S. county’s 65-and-older population grew by 12.4 percent from 2010 to 2014, according to the Pew Research Center.
According to Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration, there are 691 licensed nursing homes and 3,080 licensed assisted living facilities in the state.
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...and we want to hear it.
NHAA is here to assist families, residents, and the community by sounding the alarm on issues like those found above. This nursing home and many others across the country are cited for abuse and neglect.
If you have or had a loved one living in this nursing home or any other nursing home where you suspect any form of abuse or neglect, contact us immediately.
We have helped many already and we can help you and your loved one as well by filing a state complaint, hiring a specialized nursing home attorney or helping you find a more suitable location for your loved one.
You can make a difference, even if your loved one has already passed away.
Please give us a call at 1-800-645-5262 or fill out our form detailing your experience.
Personal Note from NHA-Advocates
NHAA shares with all the families of loved ones who are confined to nursing homes the pain and anguish of putting them in the care of someone else. We expect our loved ones to be treated with dignity and honor in the homes we place them. We cannot emphasize enough to family members of nursing home residents; frequent visits are essential to our loved ones’ well-being and safety.
If you are struggling and upset, click here to understand your options, or contact us through our contact form or call our toll free hot line number: 1-800-645-5262.
