Living In A Nursing Home
Minn. Stat. 144.651 — no arbitrary discharge, and 30 days' written notice
In Minnesota, the health care bill of rights covers patients and residents of health care facilities, including nursing homes.
Communication privacy. Residents may associate and communicate privately with persons of their choice, and enter and leave the facility as they choose, except as the Minnesota Commitment Act provides. Mail is sent without interference and received unopened, unless medically or programmatically contraindicated and documented, and there is access to a telephone to make and receive calls privately.
Thirty days before a discharge. Residents shall not be arbitrarily transferred or discharged. They are notified in writing of a proposed discharge and its justification no later than 30 days before discharge from the facility, and seven days before a move to another room. The notice includes the right to contest the action. The notice period may be shortened in the situations the subdivision lists, such as nonpayment.
Grievances. Residents may voice grievances and recommend changes to staff and others of their choice, free from restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination or reprisal, including threat of discharge.
| The assumption | What the law actually does |
|---|---|
| The assumptionA resident can be moved to another room without warning | What the law actually doesSeven days' written notice before a room change |
| The assumptionA discharge needs no reason | What the law actually doesNo arbitrary discharge, and 30 days' written notice with its justification |
Facilities taking Medicare or Medicaid funding are subject to a further set of federal resident rights alongside these, which are not on this page. Whether conduct breaches the section is a question for a licensed Minnesota attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Minn. Stat. 144.651 — Health care bill of rights
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Minnesota attorney.