Dear Advocate,

My father is in a nursing home as a private pay patient. I just received a letter notifying me of a room rate increase due exclusively to the AB 1629 ?bed tax? from $155 to $160 per day. That?s $150 every month! How do I know if this increase is correct according to AB 1629?

Sincerely,
Concerned in Cupertino

Dear Concerned,

The unfortunate truth is that nursing homes do not need an excuse to raise the rates for private pay residents. The law only requires them to give a 30-day written notice of any increases for optional services or daily room rates. (Health & Safety Code, Section 1599.67(c))

Blaming AB 1629 for the $150 monthly rate increase is ridiculous! This bill deals with raising Medi-Cal rates and does not require skilled nursing homes to raise rates for private paying residents. The nursing home is acting like the victim of the AB 1629 bed tax rather than its beneficiary. CANHR strongly opposed this bill as an expensive giveaway to the nursing home industry without any guarantees of quality improvement. (See www.canhr.org for more detailed information.) Note: Please send us copies of fee increase notices using AB 1629 as the justification.

What can you do? Contact your legislators protesting the fee increases that gouge private pay patients. If enough people protest, perhaps legislators will consider the need to correct this ill—advised law.