Raising care rates? Notify residents before the increase.

By the USMail.ai team, more than 50 years of combined expertise in printing and mailing

Direct answer: Residents and their representatives learn the new charges and when they start, and we print and mail each letter you approve. You upload the letter and your resident list, check the proof and the full price, and approve. USPS delivery times vary, so mail early enough.

Statutes checked October 29, 2026: 42 CFR 483.10(g)(18) on eCFR. This rule covers nursing facilities in Medicare or Medicaid, not assisted living. General information, not legal advice.

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How much notice does a nursing facility have to give?

Under 42 CFR 483.10(g)(18)(ii), when a nursing facility changes charges for items and services other than those covered by Medicare or the Medicaid State plan, it must tell the resident in writing at least 60 days before the change takes effect. When Medicare or Medicaid coverage changes, (g)(18)(i) calls for notice as soon as is reasonably possible. Assisted living and other care homes follow state rules, which may set their own notice periods. Your counsel can confirm what applies to you.

What usually goes in the letter?

Most rate letters name the current charge, the new charge, the date it starts, what the charge covers and who to call with questions. Some facilities add a short explanation of why costs went up. Keep it plain and personal: residents and families read these closely. Your business office and counsel decide the final wording.

When should the letter go out?

Well before the notice period starts to run short. If the rule gives 60 days, plan the mailing so the letter arrives with room to spare. USPS lists First-Class Mail at 1-5 business days on its First-Class Mail page, and USPS delivery times vary, so mail early enough. Many facilities mail the letter and also hand a copy to each resident.

Who usually sends rate letters?

Usually the business office manager or the administrator, often once a year when new rates are set. Because the steps are the same for twenty letters or several hundred, one person can prepare the job, and the administrator can review the proof on screen before anyone approves it. That keeps the business office on residents' accounts instead of folding letters and buying stamps the week the rates change.

Can one upload go to every resident?

Yes, when the letter is the same for everyone, such as a new daily rate for a level of care. Each mailing is one letter that goes to every address on your list, so add each resident and each representative you want to reach as a row on that list. If each letter carries a resident's own rate or account details, upload those as separate mailings so each resident gets the right letter.

How does mailing work on USMail.ai?

You upload. You approve. We produce. You upload the letter as a PDF or document, add your list, and check the proof on screen. You see the complete price before you approve, and nothing prints until a person on your staff says yes. From our own production floor: we print, envelope and hand each piece to USPS, and you see the proof and the full price before you approve. Every address comes from you. We check every address before mailing, and the AI never suggests or adds one.

If plans change, you can unapprove an approved job before its mail date, and the money goes back on your meter balance, not your card. A meter balance is optional, and you can pay per mailing.

What does it cost?

Letters starting at $1.15, postage included. For a one-page, single-sided, black-and-white First-Class letter. You see the full price for the whole mailing before you approve. USMail.ai is an AI print-to-mail platform, not USPS.

What does USMail.ai not do?

We don't set your rates, check your notice periods or update your billing system. We print the letters you upload, exactly as you approved them, and hand them to USPS. Keep your own copy of each letter and the list it went to, since the job record is kept only until the expunge date you set. Other facility letters are on the nursing home notices page, including discharge notices.

What do people ask about USMail.ai?

How much notice must a nursing home give before changing charges?

Under 42 CFR 483.10(g)(18)(ii), a nursing facility must tell the resident in writing at least 60 days before changing charges for items and services not covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

Does the 60-day rule apply to assisted living?

No. 42 CFR 483.10 covers nursing facilities. Assisted living follows state rules.

Can the letter go to a resident's representative too?

Yes. Add the representative's address as another row on your list.

Can we pay per mailing?

Yes. A meter balance is optional, and you can pay per mailing.

When does my letter go to USPS?

By default, letters you approve before 10 p.m. CT are handed to USPS the next business day (Monday to Friday). USPS delivery times vary. USPS handles delivery from there. There are no contracts, subscriptions or setup fees.

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