Press Release  AG Healey Issues Advisory Notifying Long-term Care Facilities That Stimulus Checks Belong to Residents

BOSTON — After reports that some long-term care facilities had been taking stimulus checks provided under the CARES Act that belong to their residents, Attorney General Maura Healey issued an advisory to notify long-term care facilities, as well as residents and their family members, about the most recent distribution of stimulus checks that residents receive under the Consolidated Appropriations Act.

The AG’s Office is advising that these economic impact payments, also known as stimulus checks, are considered tax credits and therefore nursing home residents are entitled to receive the full value of their payment for their own use. These payments cannot be taken by long-term care facilities to put toward a resident’s monthly payment to the facility.

“Nursing home residents and their families have faced enormous challenges and hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic and my office is committed to protecting them however we can,” said AG Healey. “Long-term care residents are entitled to receive their stimulus checks, in full and in a timely manner, for their own use.”

“The stimulus payments are good news for Massachusetts seniors,” said Tara M. Gregorio, President of the Massachusetts Senior Care Association. “Long term care facilities in the Commonwealth take seriously their role as careful stewards of their residents’ finances. MSCA appreciates this reminder from the Attorney General’s Office and reiterates its prior guidance to facilities that stimulus payments are for the personal use of residents and should not be used to pay for care or services within the facility.”

Earlier this year, the AG’s Office received reports that some long-term care facilities were taking economic impact payments made to their residents under the CARES Act. The Office is issuing this advisory now because qualifying individuals, including some nursing home residents, have started to receive $600 stimulus checks under the recently passed Consolidated Appropriations Act.

The AG’s Office has statutory authority to investigate and prosecute reports of facilities taking resident’s stimulus checks. To report a concern about this, please contact the AG’s Medicaid Fraud Division at 617-963-2360. For any other complaints about a nursing facility, please contact the Department of Public Health’s Complaint Line at (800) 462-5540. 

Visit AG Healey’s COVID-19 resource page for information about how the AG’s Office can provide additional support during this crisis. 

###