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I have been the sole caretaker of my 85 year old grandma since my mother passed away suddenly at age 57 almost 2 years ago. Recently my grandmother's health has been deteriorating but not to the point of needing long term care. It's been tough to say the least and the learning curve has been brutal at times. We are the only family we have left aside from my brother who can't help much. She was most recently in a SNF/rehab for a couple reasons, for almost 5 weeks. They called me today, a Monday, to tell me she will be discharged tomorrow. I just found out I was recently exposed to covid-19 less than 2 days ago and I started feeling symptoms today. I wasn't able to get a test till tomorrow. They are telling me she has to be discharged tomorrow or else we'd be billed $320 @ day. I explained the situation and even if I dont have it, were supposed to quarantine for 14 day if you've been exposed. They told me either way just to both wear masks, wash our hands and quarantine in my room away from her. We live in a tiny condo and I am her main caregiver aside from some in home health care a couple hours a week. On top of that, if I do have it, she comes home, then these at home care nurses are supposed to provide care for her feet away from someone with covid? She's been in and out of rehabs twice over the last 3 months for various issues, mainly related to a couple falls, and after all that they want to risk sending her home to someone exposed to covid very recently? The lady even told me she's at risk for it in the nursing home, which I get, but they quarantinesd her when she got there out of precaution for 18 days till she got put in the regular population. She only has Medicare with a supplemental plan through wel-med. I'm also in south Florida where it's like the wild west as far as covid preventative measures are being implemented and followed. I've been tested 6 times out of mostly precaution and never had it. Hopefully I don't again this time, knock on wood. I guess the question is, is this legal? Arent they supposed to only discharge to a safe environment? I've also read here on this forum about just leaving her in there and not communicating with the SNF until I figure this situation out? Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Sorry for the Novel.

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Just one more thought on this if you want to try to bring in the heavy guns, and that would be to contact administrator, tell them where you are with this covid-19 thing, and tell them that they will be reported to licensing authorities as making an "unsafe discharge" if they continue to attempt to do this to your loved one. I don't know that that will prevent billing you, but I think it might stop discharge plans.
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Seems like a lot of rules are relaxed due to covid so I wonder if this rule might be able to be bent as well. Does not seem like a safe discharge since you have covid symptoms and are waiting for your results.

I guess if you were both masking and keeping as much distance as possible, it might be somewhere close to ok. But if you are sick, how are you going to take care of her? Not sure how much care she needs.

Oh boy. Good luck.
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rovana Jan 2021
I think the facility would be willing to keep Grandma - they would not insist on an unsafe discharge BUT they want to be paid. It seems the issue of payment is the problem here. Does Grandma have any assets? This would not be OP's bill, but Grandma's. Bankruptcy? Negotiate payment plan with facility?
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Unfortunately I think the answer of EmotionallyNumb is correct. She will be charged if they keep her. You say that she has only Medicaid. So quite honestly they can charge her, but she won't pay if there's no money. That will ruin her credit, but I doubt she is out wanting to use charge cards at this point anyway.
As a last ditch effort please contact the social worker at the SNF and tell her your test will not come back until tomorrow. Ask for another day. At least if you are tested negative you will be able to do the isolation, masking and handwashing. Good luck. This Covid-19! What a mess!
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The short answer is they will probably have to keep her but you will be charged private pay. If they think she's ready to go, then Medicare is likely not going to cover additional days.
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rovana Jan 2021
You've hit the nail on the head. Payment seems to be the issue.
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