Do people on Medicaid receive the same quality of nursing home care as people who pay privately?
The question of Medicaid vs. Private Pay plays close to us when we are wondering about the quality of care our loved one may, or may not, get in a nursing home. Of course, we want what’s best for our loved ones, but the expense of nursing home care is a very real consideration. Will Medicaid affect the quality of care? This uncertainty may place added stress on an already stressful situation. Fortunately, the answer is simple and should help ease the mind.
In this Elder Law Minute, Wes Coulson offers both a legal and a natural answer to the quality of care question in the Medicaid vs. Private Pay dilemma.
Medicaid vs. Private Pay: Is the quality of nursing home care the same?
Transcript:
Hi, I’m Wes Coulson and this is your Elder Law Minute. One of the questions that we are asked fairly frequently is whether somebody who is in a nursing home on Medicaid is going to receive the same quality of care as someone who is paying privately. The answer to that question is: Yes.
I’ll first give you the legal answer:
Under the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1983, a federal law, it is illegal for a nursing home to discriminate in the care that it provides to residents on the basis of their source of payment.
Now, let me give you maybe the more natural answer:
The people in the business office at the nursing home know, and it matters to them because they have to know who to bill, how somebody’s paying for their care. But, the caregivers, the people, the nursing staff, the aides, the people in the kitchen, don’t know and don’t care how you’re paying for your care. Their job is to provide care for you and hopefully, if you’re in a decent nursing home, they’re going to do their best to take care of you regardless of how your care is being paid for. Thanks.
For more on Medicaid and Nursing Home Care, visit these articles:
- Medicaid planning for someone who is already in a nursing home
- 4 Myths about Medicare and Medicaid Long-Term Care coverage
- Does Medicaid pay for Home Caregivers or Assisted Living Care?
Dent-Coulson Elder Law is dedicated to providing families in the St. Louis area with their Elder Law needs. Our practice areas include Asset Preservation Planning, Veterans Benefits, Medicaid Eligibility, Alzheimer’s Planning, Special Needs Planning, Estate Planning and more. We understand the financial challenges you may face as you and your loved ones grow older. At Dent-Coulson Elder Law, our clients’ well-being is our number one priority. For immediate help, call (877)995-6876 or Contact Us and we will get in touch as soon as possible.
