[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 10, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E393]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          NURSING HOME RESIDENT PROTECTION AMENDMENTS OF 1999

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                               speech of

                          HON. SPENCER BACHUS

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 9, 1999

  Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 540, the 
Nursing Home Resident Protection Amendments. This much needed 
legislation will protect nursing home residents from being unfairly 
evicted just because they are on Medicaid. I commend my colleagues from 
Florida, Mr. Davis and Mr. Bilirakis, for introducing this measure and 
I am very proud to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill prohibits nursing homes that decide to 
withdraw from the Medicaid program from evicting current residents 
already admitted under the Medicaid program.
  Nursing home residents should not have to live in fear of eviction 
simply because they must depend on Medicaid for help in paying their 
nursing home bills. After we pass this bill and get it signed into law, 
families can be confident their elderly loved ones won't be evicted 
because of economic factors.
  This is a problem in the United States today. One nursing home in 
Florida tried to evict Medicaid residents and replace them with higher-
paying, privately insured residents last year. After a relative of one 
of the residents of that Florida nursing home brought suit, a federal 
judge issued an injunction and the residents were allowed to remain in 
the nursing home. The Wall Street Journal reported last year that 
similar evictions were attempted at thirteen homes in nine states. We 
cannot allow this to happen.
  Under the Nursing Home Resident Protection Amendments, a nursing home 
that decides to withdraw from Medicaid must provide notice to future 
residents that it no longer participates in the program and won't 
accept Medicaid payments. Existing residents, however, are protected.
  Mr. Speaker, all of us want to do something to help our senior 
citizens. We talk about that every day in Congress, sometimes in terms 
of saving Social Security, sometimes in terms of strengthening 
Medicare. But today, we can do more than just talk about helping our 
seniors. Today, we can actually do something to help millions of our 
senior citizens who face the real threat of being unfairly evicted from 
their nursing homes. Let's pass H.R. 540. Let's help our senior 
citizens. Let's protect them from these unfair evictions.

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