Pennsylvania State Ombudsman, Margaret Barajas, is Interviewed on Stimulus Checks

July 27, 2020

Pennsylvania State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Margaret Barajas, is interviewed by KDKA CBS Pittsburgh on nursing homes that are not giving residents their stimulus checks and instead are using them to pay bills and debt owed to the facility. Margaret  said she’s tracking 200 complaints statewide, in addition to the cases Attorney General Shapiro’s office will handle. “I think in some cases the providers saw this as an opportunity to shore up some past debt,” said Barajas. Still, she wants people to know the rule on the matter is clear. “The federal government has made it clear that the stimulus check is not considered income. It is not taxable income and for that reason, it would be excluded from any contracts that a resident has signed and agreed to for provision of their care,” said Barajas.

Watch the TV interview and read the full article.