I’m excited to announce that my recent article titled “CFPB Issues Guidance on Nursing Home Debt” is the cover story for the Fall 2022 issue of the American Bar Association eReport!
Deciding to admit an elderly loved one, parent, spouse or partner to a nursing home is an intense and agonizing process. Sometimes there is just no choice, especially when there are insufficient funds for full-time at home care, and when a loved one has suffered a serious illness such as stroke, a disabling fall, or rapid cognitive decline. At the nursing home, in crises mode and faced with numerous documents and forms, family members are overwhelmed and in weak position to negotiate with the facility and do not know the right questions to ask.
Fortunately, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has made a priority of helping seniors protect themselves financially. Recently, the CFPB issued a policy statement clarifying the interplay between the Federal Nursing Home Reform Home Act (FNHRA), the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), with respect to nursing home contracts and debt collection practices for unpaid nursing home bills.