Massachusetts lawmakers revised a state spending plan this week that would restore a $6-million “bed hold” program for nursing homes.

Gov. Deval Patrick (D) had vetoed funding for the program, which allows nursing home residents to keep their same room or bed if they have to leave temporarily. The program is run by Medicaid, which pays nursing homes to keep a bed empty for up to 10 days. The bed-hold program was scheduled to end Nov. 1, the Boston Globe reported.

Federal regulations mandate that nursing homes to readmit residents to a facility after a short absence, but the law doesn’t guarantee that the resident be returned to the same room.

Gov. Patrick has 10 days to review the budget and/or veto the bed hold policy again, the newspaper reported.