I recently read an article that reminds us that a private pay patient in a nursing home or assisted living facility can and should negotiate on price. Since a private pay patient is probably paying 2x-3x as much as as a Medicaid patient, facilities are eager to have private pay patients. Not all will negotiate, but those without long waiting lists are sometimes amenable.
Here is a quote from the article, which was in US News & World Report:
"Negotiating Long-Term Care Costs
Most nursing homes won't lower their rates, which are keyed to the payment levels offered by Medicare and Medicaid. Still, there's sometimes room to negotiate when it comes to long-term care costs. "Sometimes, rather than accept a lower Medicaid rate, a facility will agree to take a lower private pay rate, which is still higher than the Medicaid rate but lower than published private pay rates," says Howard Krooks, president-elect of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. By contrast, assisted living facilities, which don't take Medicare or Medicaid, and home health agencies often face steep competition, so consumers shouldn't be shy about talking prices with these organizations. An assisted living facility with a high vacancy rate or no waiting list may be more willing to negotiate a monthly rate, according to Genworth. If you're considering a home health agency, you may be able to secure a lower hourly or daily rate if you indicate that you're shopping around for the best price."
Click for article on paying for nursing home care
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