Assisted living facilities in Connecticut must now hold hearings before they implement big fee increases.
A new state law in effect Oct. 1 requires that a hearing take place at least 30 days before a fee increase of 10% or more at an assisted living service agency.
Mairead Painter, Connecticut’s long term care ombudsman, said in recent years her office has been receiving more reports from assisted living residents, and those price hikes have an impact.
“Sometimes what they thought would help them through the period of time that they planned on living there with their finances, they no longer have that resource anymore, and [it] jeopardizes their ability to stay in that setting,” Painter said.
Painter said depending on what care and services are provided, assisted living agencies, which are operated by private companies, have monthly costs of about $10,000 to $15,000 a month.
Rent is one area where prices are going up. Painter said she expects a 3-6% increase every year, but some assisted living agencies have hiked up the rent far more.
“When you're talking 30%, and sometimes more than once a year, that just seems totally outrageous to me, and that's something that people can't anticipate,” Painter said.
Painter said her office encourages people to look at historical fee increases in rent, care and other services before signing a contract in a long-term care community.
State Sen. Jan Hochadel, a Democrat from Meriden who co-chairs the legislature’s Aging Committee, said the new hearings mandated under the law will provide an important forum for residents.
"The people that live there can also express their concern, have loved ones get their questions answered, just really for transparency,” Hochadel said.
Existing law requires that assisted living agencies disclose fee increases at least 60 days in advance of a change. But agencies may adjust fees if a resident needs different services due to a change in their condition.
