The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid have published a report detailing how nursing homes have violated debt collection laws. Many caregivers have suffered great financial burdens because they have been illegally subjected to the debts of their friends and family members. “Nursing homes that participate in Medicare and Medicaid are prohibited from forcing a resident’s family or friends to assume responsibility for the cost of care as a condition of admission or continued stay in the facility,” explains CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. If any nursing home requires a third party caregiver to sign a contract to be liable for payment of the bill of a resident, as a requirement to be admitted, that is a direct violation of the Nursing Home Reform Act.
The CFPB has developed specific resources for older adults and caregivers on consumer financial protection that can help with this issue.
To read the report and joint letter click here: CFPB and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
How to Defend Against Nursing Homes That Violate Debt Collection Laws
- No Surprises Act New Consumer-Friendly Resources
- Caregiving Tips: Communicating With Confused Persons