FRANKFORT, Ky. — Tuesday, Kentucky's Attorney General warned about what he called "unlawful seizure" of CARES Act stimulus funds by nursing home and assisted living facilities.
Daniel Cameron is asking families and Medicaid beneficiaries to report incidents of confiscated funds to the Office of the Attorney General’s Elder Abuse and Medicaid Fraud Hotline at 1-877-228-7384.
“Medicaid recipients living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities could be more susceptible to financial exploitation while isolated from family during the COVID-19 pandemic. In many cases, federal stimulus checks provide assistance to Medicaid beneficiaries experiencing financial hardships due to COVID-19, and any unlawful seizure of those funds should be reported to our Elder Abuse and Medicaid Fraud Hotline,” Cameron said in a news release.
In certain circumstances, Medicaid beneficiaries sign over financial resources, including social security or pension funds to nursing homes or assisted living facilities, according to the AG's office. However, the current federal stimulus checks are not required to be surrendered. While Medicaid beneficiaries may choose to apply their stimulus checks toward facility care, these funds may not be seized by nursing homes or assisted living facilities, the release states.
Again, you can report confiscation of stimulus funds to the Attorney General’s Elder Abuse and Medicaid Fraud Hotline at 1-877-228-7384. The Attorney General also recommends filing a complaint online with the Federal Trade Commission.