Will residents in a nursing home receive a stimulus check?

As the second (and maybe third) round of stimulus checks go out, it is important to know that nursing home residents are not required to turn their checks over to their nursing home. In December 2020, Congress approved $600 stimulus checks for individuals making less than $75,000 a year.

What should I do if I have not received stimulus?

The IRS is urging individuals who still have not received their stimulus checks, or received less than they anticipated, to file a federal tax return to claim it. This year, the deadline to file has been pushed to May 17 from the traditional April 15 tax day.

Can a nursing home take a stimulus payment?

According to Congress, the stimulus payments are a “tax credit.” That means that the payment does not count as a resource for federal benefits like Medicaid. The government can’t seize the money, and the nursing home or assisted living facility can’t take it. It’s the resident’s check, and he or she can decide how to use it.

Why are stimulus checks problematic for nursing homes?

During the first round of payments we saw that this has the potential to be problematic for many reasons including: when the nursing home is the resident’s representative payee, and when residents have not been informed of the Payment.

When to spend Medicaid stimulus check in nursing home?

According to this guidance, Medicaid recipients in long-term care facilities may spend their stimulus payment on the things that are most important to them, as long as they spend the funds within 12 months of receipt.

What happens when a nursing home payment is not spent?

In the event of resident death, those remaining funds will go to the resident’s estate. As such, if the Payment is deposited with the facility and is not spent (either in part or full), the Payment follows the resident or the resident’s estate. How can the Payment be spent? The Payment should be spent at the resident’s directive.

Are there stimulus checks for nursing home residents?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is reminding nursing home and assisted living residents that their stimulus checks are for them, not their facility. With the first round of stimulus checks, there were reports that facilities were taking the checks without residents’ permission.

Is it illegal for nursing homes to take payments from residents?

This practice is prohibited, and nursing homes that seize these payments from residents could be subject to federal enforcement actions, including potential termination from participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

What can I do with my nursing home Stimulus money?

The money can be spent by nursing home residents in numerous ways. For example, one might buy new clothing, purchase a television for his / her room, stock up on extra snacks, purchase an irrevocable funeral trust, or even give the money to a grandchild.

Can a nursing home require residents to deposit their money?

Further, “The facility must not require residents to deposit their personal funds with the facility.