By Lucas Willard
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Pittsfield, MA – Governor Deval Patrick has changed his mind after signing a previously vetoed budget that provided funding for allowing nursing homes to hold beds for residents in case of leave. Massachusetts nursing home residents are now, once again, protected against having their bed reassigned if they leave their care facility for up to ten days. The Patrick administration had previously vetoed the provision on November 1st, after finding that an estimated 4,000 nursing home beds are available in Massachusetts on any given day. State Representative Gail Cariddi argues that though beds may be open across the state, residents need protection measures in place to keep them from being shuffled around.
State lawmakers defied the governor after his veto and revoted to approve the budget. The announcement last week ensures the measure will reinstated until June 2012 at the end of the fiscal year.
Advocates applauded the re-instatement of the funding for the bed-hold program. John Krol is the executive director for Sweetbrook Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center in Williamstown. He commends Governor Patrick for his decision and says that this funding benefits nursing home residents and families.
Federal law states that residents must be readmitted to their care centers after a temporary leave, but does not require the resident to be assigned to the same bed or room. The federal and state government share costs of the bed hold program. The measure has been in place in Massachusetts for over a decade. Reporting from WAMC's Berkshire Bureau at the Berkshire Eagle, I'm Lucas Willard.