$900 million Medicaid boost promises nursing homes some much-needed relief after decade-long drought
TEXAS — Texas skilled nursing providers in May got their first increase in the Medicaid base rate in 10 years, along with supplemental funding to help providers stay afloat until that new rate kicks in this September.
The House and Senate approved both the supplemental funding that extends a COVID-era add-on through Aug. 31 and a $900 million general Medicaid rate increase as part of the overall state budget that starts Sept. 1.
“Texas nursing homes can breathe a sigh of relief as this legislative session ends,” said Alyse Meyer, vice president of advocacy for LeadingAge Texas, which worked closely alongside the Texas Health Care Association to secure the pay hike. “This funding will help address some of the challenges nursing homes have voiced for over a decade, but particularly since the pandemic.”
Meyers said hearing directly from providers and families — a grassroots effort nursing home advocates leaned into hard over the past year — helped sway lawmakers.
AG alleges another for-profit nursing home ‘pockets’ state Medicaid funds
NEW YORK — Attorney General Letitia James wants a state court to force the owners of a Syracuse nursing home to answer questions about “pocketing” $37.6 million in government funding.
Uri Koenig and Efraim Steif, owners of Van Duyn Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing, face numerous allegations of diverting Medicaid funds for their own financial gain, inadequate staffing and neglect. In a June filing, James’ office asked the New York Supreme Court to compel the owners to talk.
The case is the latest in the AG’s quest to spotlight what she considers predatory and illegal financial practices that have in some cases led to reduced staffing and serious patient care concerns. This is at least the fourth case James has pursued against for-profit owners since November of 2022, typically targeting related-party transactions and policies that suppress staffing levels.
David R. Ross, an attorney with O’Connell and Aronowitz, said the owners intend to respond to the AG’s office showing that related party transactions “are the norm” and “fully transparent.”
Staffing mandate remains unenforced amid state’s labor squeeze
RHODE ISLAND — State officials in June said they were not enforcing a new minimum staffing mandate, which would have triggered at least $11 million in fines at 55 nursing homes.
“At this time, the Governor’s team is working with the General Assembly and other stakeholders to assess Rhode Island’s existing minimum staffing requirements and evaluate legislative solutions that support residents, workers, and the long-term health of facilities,” Rhode Island Department of Health spokesman Joseph Wendelken told local media. “We have not issued any fines.”
Advocates behind the mandate, once billed as one of the nation’s toughest, predicted it would prevent care delays. But amid a huge labor shortage, providers said it would more likely lead to service limitations and closures and threaten access to care.
The law would have mandated a 2023 minimum of 3.81 hours of direct care per resident, per day from registered nurses, nursing assistants, physical therapists, and medication aides among others.
The state was set to begin assessing quarterly penalties in April.
LTC task force weighs end of moratorium
SOUTH DAKOTA — After losing 20 nursing homes since 2005, state Legislators are considering lifting a moratorium on skilled nursing beds. The state Department of Health last awarded beds in 2017, when it split 55 among four providers.
A subgroup of the Legislature’s Study Committee on Sustainable Models for Long Term Care in June had asked for details on the moratorium ahead of its plans to recommend long-term care legislation ahead of the session beginning in January.
Republican Sen. David Wheeler has asked publicly whether lawmakers should repeal the moratorium, which dates to 1988 and a statewide push to encourage development of assisted living and community-based services. The cap was renewed in 2005.
Nursing home cameras make state debut
NEVADA — Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) in June signed a bill allowing residents and their representatives to install cameras in nursing homes.
According to provisions outlined in the bill, residents will have to sign a waiver consenting to the placement of a camera. The facility must allow installation within 24 hours.
“By allowing cameras to be installed, residents can have the means to ensure that they are being properly attended to and that their well-being is being prioritized,” the career website allnurses.com reported. “The presence of cameras can serve as a deterrent to potential neglect or abuse, promoting accountability and safeguarding the rights of vulnerable individuals.”
Nevada is now one of at least a dozen states that allow cameras to record workers and their interactions with residents in their rooms.
From the July/August 2023 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
