LaSalle County approves psychological services agreement for nursing home; questions on billing and insurance raised

LaSalle County’s board on Oct. 9 approved an agreement with Partners in Hope LLC to provide psychological services, including psychiatric evaluations and medication management, at the county’s nursing home. The contract was presented to the board by county staff and recommended by the Nursing Home and VAC Committee.

The resolution states the services may be billed to residents or their insurers and that LaSalle County or the nursing home would not be charged for the provider’s services. During discussion board members pressed for details on whether families would provide informed consent, whether services could include medication management and how professional liability insurance would be handled.

Kathy (Nursing Home administrator, first name used in meeting) and other staff said families would be involved in consent discussions and that clinical documentation would be provided for residents’ medical charts. On insurance, the agreement describes a requirement for “professional liability insurance” at amounts “commensurate to that which is considered acceptable standard practice,” but board members asked the county’s legal and insurance staff to confirm that coverage levels and additional‑insured language are adequate. One board member asked, “What happens if the patients do not have insurance?” Staff replied residents would be billed (private pay) or Medicare/Medicaid would be billed where appropriate; participation in the service is voluntary.

The board approved the resolution on a voice/roll call vote. No charge to the nursing home was stated in the resolution; board members requested follow‑up on insurance limits and contract language.