Can anyone explain to me how it is that a Care Home can charge the full whack even if the resident is in hospital? Why isn't there some proviso that because the full "care" package isn't needed ie, food, laundry, personal care, isn't it necessary to just pay a retaining fee for the room? They are charging for service which isn't being used.
Care Home Costs
- Thread starter Ernest
- Start date
Depends what the contract with the care home says but it's standard to still charge when someone is in hospital as they can't rent the room out to someone else who would be using their services. Check the contract but you'll probably find somewhere in the small print that it states that the full cost is due when the room is unoccupied.
The homes are businesses and their fees are based on room occupancy - they don't seem to calculate the 'extras' separately. I guess it's easier that way as some residents will eat more, need more personal care, laundry etc than others so a standard flat fee for all, rather than individual fees based on the individual resident's use of the services provided, makes sense.
I'm not saying that charging the full rate when someone is in hospital is fair, but that is what happens if it's written in the contract. There may be some homes out there that don't charge the full rate but they're probably in the minority.
The homes are businesses and their fees are based on room occupancy - they don't seem to calculate the 'extras' separately. I guess it's easier that way as some residents will eat more, need more personal care, laundry etc than others so a standard flat fee for all, rather than individual fees based on the individual resident's use of the services provided, makes sense.
I'm not saying that charging the full rate when someone is in hospital is fair, but that is what happens if it's written in the contract. There may be some homes out there that don't charge the full rate but they're probably in the minority.
My husband's care home contract says "full self funding charge must continue to be paid in full if resident is in hospital".
I also feel it is a bit unfair to charge the full amount but no other option I'm afraid.
I also feel it is a bit unfair to charge the full amount but no other option I'm afraid.
Put this way, it does make sense. I wonder if anyone remembers how things worked in the days when it all came under social services and the care homes were not individual businesses??
I can see what Beate means that the home still has the same running costs. Perhaps they should do a reduction for food/laundry. Do you continue to get ATendance Allowance for pwd whilst they're in hospital?
I feel the same way about this as I did when 14 days post death charges were made for dad...take out the charges for food, carer attention, laundry ie fine for the room during a hospital stay but not for the services the setting isn't providing and therefore the resident isn't using. It would do a lot for the private company's PR. At dad's NH they did make a concession of charging full rate for the first 4 weeks then 75% thereafter for hospital stays.
I seem to remember AA is still allowed for up to 4 weeks hospital stay?
I seem to remember AA is still allowed for up to 4 weeks hospital stay?
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I haven't read my mother's CH contract recently but ISTR it says full payment for x weeks, then it goes down to 80% if in hospital longer term. I can see why, for the reasons Beate says. My mother has been in hospital twice while in her CH, for 3 days and then 12 days.
Yes you do get AA while in hospital but it stops after 28 days.
Yes you do get AA while in hospital but it stops after 28 days.
