Is it true that a nursing home can lose Medicare or Medicaid funding by banning a residents' family members or trying to alienate a resident from his or her family? Who knows the law in the State of Kentucky, Ohio & Indiana? But then I have read that nursing homes can ban anyone they want even if you are a family member. Can you go outside the nursing home to file a complaint?
. If a family member is disruptive to the life of a Senior with their visits then they can and SHOULD be banned from visiting. You can ask for an ombudsman to intervene and negotiate visits and visit contracts with the Nursing Home. Some places, such as ALF are not licensed, but generally Nursing Homes are licensed by the state and they ALLEGIANCE is owed to the Senior they care for, not their family. They are there to protect Seniors, even if that protection is needed from the family.
Rarely does a nursing home lose Medicare or Medicaid funding because of a problem with a resident's family. The nursing home might lose their license or have their license put on probation if a resident is mistreated or there are care issues--but that is a "State" violation, not a "Federal" violation.
IF there is a MAJOR unprofessional situation at the nursing home, you can file a complaint with the Departement of Health or Human Services or whoever regulates the nursing homes in that state. If you have a problem because a nursing home is limiting access to a loved one, then you can contact the Long Term Care Ombudsman for that state and ask them to investigate the situation.
You need to remember that the nation (and the world) is in a "Quarantine" situation because of COVID-19 and many nursing homes are banning family members from visiting their loved ones no matter what state the facility is in.
So, it’s all circumstantial. Keep us posted on your situation in your area.
In my state facilities undergo inspections or review twice a year. Occasionally a facility does not pass their inspections and nursing facilities have on rare occasions been closed by the state.
Families are banned from visiting in many places due to the pandemic. A resident can place a family member on their do not visit list. A facility can ban if their presence is deemed dangerous or detrimental to resident (extremely rare).