Evergreen Park, Illinois (WLS) – If you have someone you love in a nursing home, there is an important warning. The facility may have funds in an account for your loved one, but can you have a hard time getting that money?
The grieving granddaughter was directed to ABC7 I-Team for a huge fight over thousands of dollars on her late grandmother's nursing home account.
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Consumer Jatonya Harris said he was treating him as “lost the money for a nursing home.” The granddaughter said that thousands of dollars were not given to her from her grandmother's nursing home fund.
She said she hadn't gotten answers about the case until I-Team got involved.
“She was between 104 and 26 days away,” Harris said.
When Harris' grandmother passed away in September 2024, Harris said she should be saddened by her death. Instead, Harris was taking part in a fierce financial battle with Avantala at her grandmother's nursing home, Evergreen Park.
I didn't have enough opportunity to lament the wonderful people, the women who influenced my life, and the women I've loved up to this day.
Jatonya Harris contacted I-Team
“In 2022, my grandmother's social worker contacted me and said that there was a good change she was sitting there because of this community's money,” Harris said.
Harris, the power of a lawyer and only a designated family member on the account, said that the “clump of change” in the nursing home account is to go to his grandmother's funeral, but was surprised afterwards. He said that.
Harris said he received the check from Avantala in Evergreen Park for just $840. She was hoping for thousands more.
“To say, 'What money? She got $840 and 94 cents,'” Harris said. “I said, 'That's a lie.”
Harris said Avantara Evergreen Park was all that remains, and Harris told her he had signed a letter to move the funds. Harris said he never signed anything to release the funds.
“Someone took the money because I didn't know where they went,” Harris said.
She reported the allegations to the Illinois State Attorney's General's Office Healthcare Department and the Evergreen Park Police Department. Harris called I-Team when he said he had not heard back from these agencies or nursing homes.
In December, AG told ABC7 that “we received a complaint but it is currently being processed.”
“Our detective department has spoken to the complainant and is actively investigating the case at this time,” Evergreen Park police said.
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“We contacted Jason Knowles through Channel 7 News. When you said you had emailed them, one of my phones rang,” Harris said. “Detective, Sergeant, called from the Evergreen Park Police Station, apologized for not moving anything.”
Harris then said that weeks after inquiries from ABC7 and police, she was to receive a check from the nursing home for $5,504.
The administrator of Avantara Evergreen Park said, “Avantara denies the full scope of the claim, so Avantara has some equivalent to the largest refunds that Avantara could be legally required to pay on this matter. We offered a refund of $5,504.06 on different occasions.
Harris claims he was not offered any money at other times.
Avantala has fully cooperated with the Illinois Department of Health's Investigation Bureau, adding that “the surveyor told Avantala that the amount outstanding is probably significantly less than $5,504.06.”
However, Harris said an IDPH investigator called her. She said investigators never told her that the amount they had been paid was less than $5,504.
I-Team also obtained an IDPH report. “The facility could not guarantee that one resident (R3) money would be managed from the monthly portion paid to the facility. The facility collected a balance of $5,504.06 from the 'resident's account'. Ta. They then did not present itemized records of the services for the amounts taken. ”
“I have not had enough opportunity to mourn the wonderful people, the women who influenced my life, and the women I love until now,” Harris said.
Harris accepted the money but said, “It's not over. Yeah, it's not over with a long shot.”
Harris also said the detectives assigned to her case were helping to obtain more financial records from the nursing home, along with the first documents that released the funds.
If you have a loved one in your nursing home, you should request financial statements regularly. It also designates one family as the main point of contact in financial matters.
Mike Bonamarte, managing partner at Levin & Perconti Law Firm, says they should always request a monthly accounting of funds from nursing homes. Also, do not monitor any abnormalities or requests to withdraw funds from your account in search of interest.
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