Medi-Cal Discrimination & Room-to-Room Transfers

That effective January 1, 2002, if a nursing home resident changes to Medi-Cal payment status, the nursing home is prohibited from transferring the resident to another room as a result of that payment change, with the exception of transferring the resident from a private room to a semi-private room (Welfare and Institution Code § 14124.7). Although nursing homes have been prohibited from seeking to evict residents simply because of a change from private pay or Medicare to Medi-Cal, this provision now applies to those residents who have made a timely and good faith application for Medi-Cal benefits, but for whom an eligibility determination has not yet been made. These provisions were included in AB 1731(Shelley) in an attempt to provide equity and dignity to those receiving long term care under Medi-Cal.

For more information, or a copy of the above-mentioned Code, contact the CANHR office.