The Wall Street Journal on Thursday examined how U.S.
nursing homes are "forcing out frail and ill residents" in an effort to
"replac[e] them with shorter-term residents likely to bring more
revenue." Federal law allows nursing homes to evict residents for six
reasons: they are healthy enough to return home; they require care not
offered at the nursing home; they risk the health of other residents or
staff; they endanger the safety of other residents or staff; they do
not pay their bills; or the nursing home closes. However, some state
officials and patient advocates say that nursing homes "often go too
far, seeking to evict those who are merely inconvenient or too costly,"
such as residents with dementia or demanding families.
Medicaid
beneficiaries are at greater risk of eviction because Medicaid
reimbursement rates are as little as half of what nursing homes make
from residents who pay their bills out-of-pocket, with private coverage
or through Medicare, according to the Journal. The Journal
reports that Medicaid reimbursement payments to nursing homes in 2007
were $4.4 billion less than the cost of treating beneficiaries.
According to Michael Wiederhorn, a health care analyst for Oppenheimer,
approximately two-thirds of nursing home residents who stay in
facilities more than 90 days depend on Medicaid to pay their bills.
nursing homes are "forcing out frail and ill residents" in an effort to
"replac[e] them with shorter-term residents likely to bring more
revenue." Federal law allows nursing homes to evict residents for six
reasons: they are healthy enough to return home; they require care not
offered at the nursing home; they risk the health of other residents or
staff; they endanger the safety of other residents or staff; they do
not pay their bills; or the nursing home closes. However, some state
officials and patient advocates say that nursing homes "often go too
far, seeking to evict those who are merely inconvenient or too costly,"
such as residents with dementia or demanding families.
Medicaid
beneficiaries are at greater risk of eviction because Medicaid
reimbursement rates are as little as half of what nursing homes make
from residents who pay their bills out-of-pocket, with private coverage
or through Medicare, according to the Journal. The Journal
reports that Medicaid reimbursement payments to nursing homes in 2007
were $4.4 billion less than the cost of treating beneficiaries.
According to Michael Wiederhorn, a health care analyst for Oppenheimer,
approximately two-thirds of nursing home residents who stay in
facilities more than 90 days depend on Medicaid to pay their bills.
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