Nursing homes in the United States have been put under an increasing amount of strain because of the rising number of obese patients. “The percentage of those entering American nursing homes who are moderate and severely obese — with a body mass index of 35 or greater — has risen sharply, to nearly 25 percent in 2010 from 14.7 percent in 2000, according to a recent study, and many signs suggest the upward trend is continuing.” Nursing homes are struggling to care for these patients because Medicaid does not reimburse them for the type of specialized equipment needed to care for heavier patients. There are many nursing homes across the country that routinely decline referrals for obese patients. Whether denying a patient admission into a nursing home because of obesity violates the Americans With Disabilities Act is an unsettled legal question. This issue is going to remain prevalent in the future as the number of obese senior citizens continues to rise.
See Sarah Varney, Rising Obesity Rates Put Strain on Nursing Homes, The New York Times, December 14, 2015.
Special thanks to Brian Cohan (Attorney at Law, Law Offices of Brian J. Cohan, P.C.) for bringing this article to my attention.
