Welch Bill Would Stop Nursing Homes from Discharging Patients

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – In an effort to provide new safeguards for nursing home patients, state Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, is sponsoring legislation that would protect residents from being involuntarily discharged from facilities.

“Some nursing homes use a loophole in the law to discharge patients in middle of their care by simply dropping them off at hospitals and not picking them up,” said Welch. “This is an unacceptable way to treat seniors and people with disabilities. This legislation would put a stop to this practice that has hurt patients and families across the state.”

Welch is sponsoring House Bill 3392 because nursing homes have a historic practice of transferring patients to the hospital for care and abandoning them there. At the same time, since their patient does not return to their facility, nursing homes are able to receive a new patient. Patients who are involuntarily discharged in this way are left without a place to go and unable to receive the care they need. Welch’s legislation would protect patients from being involuntarily discharged and establishes fees to maintain nursing home’s compliance with the new regulations administered by the Department of Public Health.

“Seniors and people with disabilities is not a bad thing for us to do should not be left to fend for themselves if a nursing home is unable to handle caring for them,” Welch. “There needs to be a better structure in place that truly cares for nursing home residents to ensure they are not suddenly stranded, which is what my bill would do.”