Hospitals often play a role in helping patients find Long-Term Care service providers. Case managers or discharge planners will provide a list of Long-Term Care options to the patient before discharge. The hospital must disclose any financial interest it has in a skilled nursing facility or home health agency provided on the list. Patients and their families must be informed of their freedom to choose service providers. Further, under federal law the hospital “must not specify or otherwise limit the qualified providers that are available to the patient.”
While hospitals are not allowed to steer patients to specific providers, nothing in the law precludes them from sharing unbiased information about the quality of Long-Term Care facilities and providers.
Conducting Research on Long-Term Care Providers
Conducting your own research on Long-Term Care facilities or providers is an option. There are online resources that can help you find providers and provide information on quality of care, such as rankings and complaints filed. Of course, if you need to select a facility or service quickly you may not have much time to conduct research.
Nursing Home Compare has detailed information about every Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing home in the country. This site also provides information on alternatives to nursing care.
The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services provides information on finding Long-Term Care services. DSHS offers help finding in home care services, Long-Term Care housing, and specialized dementia care programs.
The official U.S. government booklet about Medicare home health care benefits has a section on how to find and compare home health agencies.
Finding Long-Term Care that meets your or your loved one’s needs and ensuring you have the resources to pay for that care may seem complicated. The experienced Washington Elder Law Attorneys of Elder Law Group PLLC will carefully and competently guide you through the options and help you find, maintain, and pay for Long-Term Care.
Contact us or call (509) 468-0551 (Spokane office), or (509) 579-0206 (Tri-Cities office), for personal, compassionate guidance on making arrangements for Long-Term Care or other legal needs of seniors, the disabled, or vulnerable adults and their families.