Mandatory arbitration clauses are being worked more and more into nursing home contracts and those clauses aren't aimed at helping the patient.
According to the fine print, any dispute between the consumer and the company are handled under contract by arbitration if the company has its say. Nursing homes and other elder care facilities are increasingly inserting similar arbitration clauses into their contracts.
Companies are quick to note that arbitration is normally faster and cheaper than going to court. However, consumer advocates and elder law attorneys point out that these clauses do not necessarily benefit consumers. In reality, arbitration can make it more difficult for consumers to prevail and remedies that might be available in court are sometimes not available in arbitration.
The Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog reports that a court in Arizona recently refused to enforce the arbitration clause in one nursing home's contract in "Arizona Court Overturns Home Arbitration Agreement."
In this case, the man who signed the contract on behalf of his mother did not have any legal authority to bind her to arbitration. He was not her power of attorney.
Going further, the court also signaled that such a ruling could apply more broadly. According to the court, the arbitration clause could be seen as an unenforceable contract of adhesion.
As the article notes, in many states consumers have a legal right to strike out the arbitration clauses before signing the contracts.
Before you sign any contract about nursing home care it would be beneficial to consult with an elder law attorney.
Reference: Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog (Feb. 2, 2016) "Arizona Court Overturns Home Arbitration Agreement
