No, Nursing Homes Are Not Entitled to Your Stimulus Check

The Better Business Bureau has released guidelines for seniors receiving stimulus checks from the federal government.

STIMULUS CHECKS & NURSING HOMES

As the stimulus checks role out to taxpayers, residents of assisted living facilities or nursing homes should receive the Economic Impact Payment of $600. However, some facilities keep the money. The stimulus money belongs to the person and not the facility.

FIRST ROUND OF STIMULUS

Some nursing facilities attempted to take the payment from residents, particularly those on Medicare. If a person received stimulus money, it was that person’s money to keep and didn’t belong to family members or nursing facilities. The FTC reports keeping someone else’s stimulus money is illegal.
With the second round arriving, people need to know they are not required to sign it over to a nursing facility even if it is Medicaid. And nursing facilities need to know it isn’t their money to keep.

PROTECT YOURSELF OR A LOVED ONE

Talk with management of the facility and make sure you or a family member receive the payment.
Verify where the payment is being sent. Go to https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment, and the website indicates how you will be receiving the funds via mail or direct deposit. Make sure the money is deposited into your account and not another person or company.

If you suspect this is happening to you or a loved one, report it to the State Attorney General and to the FTC at ReportFraud.FTC.gov.