Two North Carolina nursing homes have agreed to pay $55,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging they refused to admit a patient because of his substance use disorder and recent drug use.
The private civil suit reveals another legal danger providers face as they try to navigate access, regulations and patient safety requirements. Several state attorneys general also have sued nursing homes over similar claims in recent years, leading to financial penalties and revised admissions policies.
But attorneys with Disability Rights North Carolina and the New York-based Legal Action Center said the case settled last week is believed to be the first in the country to raise the issue of whether skilled nursing facilities can automatically deny admission to people with ongoing SUD…