quote:

Assisted-living homes are rejecting Medicaid and evicting seniors

Some residents who drained their nest eggs to cover private-pay rates have been evicted after turning to Medicaid to pay their bills.

quote:

Residents of assisted-living facilities — promoted as a homier, more appealing alternative to nursing homes — face an especially precarious situation. While federal law protects Medicaid beneficiaries in nursing homes from eviction, the law does not protect residents of assisted-living facilities, leaving them with few options when turned out. In Wisconsin, residents who entered facilities on Medicaid, as well as those who drained their private savings after moving in and subsequently enrolled in Medicaid, have been affected.

“It’s a good illustration of how Medicaid assisted-living public policy is still in its Wild West phase, with providers doing what they choose in many cases, even though it’s unfair to consumers,” said Eric Carlson, a lawyer and director of long-term services and support advocacy at the nonprofit group Justice in Aging. “You can’t just flip in and out of these relationships and treat the people as incidental damage.”

https://wapo.st/436qvIZ

Disgusting.

Medicaid doesn't cover assisted living so we get angry at…assisted living?

Shouldn't we be complaining to medicaid about this?

I'm puzzled by your response, jon. Maybe I'm missing something.

I asked the question about Medicaid twenty-five years ago, when my great-aunt was moving to the Lutheran Home here in my town. The contract had language to the effect that the facility might not accept Medicaid in the future. I asked the representative about it, and she looked offended and said "we *are* a Christian organization", to which I replied, "I can appreciate that, but ten years from now when you are gone and circumstances may have changed, the contract is the legal document that dictates the relationship between LH and my great-aunt". It never happened, so it was a moot point, but it could have.

I think the point is that some assisted living facilities were accepting Medicaid at the time people entered, but then stopped doing so. Some residents got in under Medicaid, and others still had assets that were spent down. Either way, no money and out they go.

Seems like this is one of those times that government needs to step in and protect the individuals at risk. Some entities seem to be making what I would characterize as inhumane decisions, so it would appear that extending the same federal law protections that apply to nursing homes to assisted living facilities needs to happen.

I'm guessing that people entering the assisted living places in the article may have had the same clause my great-aunt had in their contracts. The corporations running those places elected to exercise it. Their option, of course, but it is a pretty lousy thing to do to an old person who has no money.