Four adult care homes about to lose Medicaid payments have gone to administrative court to keep the government insurance money flowing.

During a hearing Thursday, administrative Law Judge Beecher Gray said he would sign a temporary order to keep Medicaid funds going to two adult care homes, Hunter Village in Mecklenburg County and Heritage Care in Catawba County.

He will hold a hearing Friday on two Yadkin County adult care homes also facing the loss of Medicaid funds.

The state told the four homes this week that federal Medicaid rules prevent their residents from receiving Medicaid because the facilities house too many mentally ill people. Adult care homes use Medicaid money to pay staff salaries and other operating expenses. The four homes were set to lose Medicaid funds Sept. 17.

After the state completes its evaluation of adult care homes at the end of November, about 135 adult care homes could face losing Medicaid payments.