House unanimously passes bill requiring nursing homes to notify residents of right to consult attorney about Medicaid

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania House unanimously approved a bill requiring nursing homes to notify residents and families that they may want to consult an attorney before applying for Medicaid.

Representative Bonner, the bill’s floor sponsor, said many older Pennsylvanians enter nursing homes without knowing that Medicaid rules allow some assets to be protected. On the House floor he cited an average cost for skilled nursing care of roughly $130,000 per year and said the law does not require families to spend all assets before becoming eligible for Medicaid.

Bonner said a recent lobbyist statement criticizing the bill suggested nursing homes were financially better off when patients were unaware of their rights; he characterized that position as ‘‘disturbing’’ and said the bill would help families use the 90-day period after initial application to seek legal guidance and protect some assets.

The clerk recorded final passage by a voice/roll call: yeas 199, nays 0. The bill passed the House finally and will be presented to the Senate for concurrence.

Why it matters: Sponsors framed the bill as consumer-protection for older adults and caregivers entering nursing homes, intended to ensure families know they may have options and time to consult counsel to protect assets under Medicaid rules.

Next steps: The bill is sent to the Senate for concurrence; implementation details (exact notice language, timing and enforcement mechanism) will depend on enrolled language and any administrative guidance.

Quotations in this article are taken from House floor remarks recorded in the public House transcript.