Proposed settlement for Mississippi Medicaid suit

DeSoto Times Today writer Robert Lee Long commented recently on a proposed class action settlement involving nursing home residents in Mississippi:

For some time, Mississippi lawmakers have sought to [allow] nursing home residents on Medicaid a chance to receive care at home by providing housing and utility deposits. They hope the practice will reduce Medicaid costs by freeing up Medicaid beds.

The proposed settlement pending in federal court would also save taxpayers an estimated $15 million in Medicaid payments to nursing homes.

The 2002 class-action lawsuit against Medicaid and the Department of Rehabilitation Services is pending before U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate.

Several disabled patients sued the agencies after they could not obtain special waivers to allow them to receive medical care at home. In the lawsuit, they alleged discrimination because they were segregated into nursing homes and not allowed to live on their own.

Under the plan, thousands of nursing home residents could have a higher quality of life (living at home) and millions of taxpayer dollars could be put to better use in Mississippi. Sounds pretty promising…