Eleven nursing homes in Montana have announced their closures by 2022, with officials citing staff shortages and low Medicaid reimbursement rates as key reasons for the industry’s ongoing difficulties.
Lawmakers will debate increasing reimbursement rates for nursing homes and many other types of health providers after a state-mandated study found them too low to cover the cost of care. squirrel.
“Increase the supplier ratio at the level recommended by the study,” said Heather O’Loughlin, executive director of the Montana Center for Budget and Policy, a nonprofit that specializes in state budget analysis. Research will ensure a robust health care workforce and should be a priority for this legislature. taxes, and the economy.
Gianforte’s budget proposal includes an increase in the rate of return that does not reach the level suggested by the study. A bill by Congresswoman Mary Caferro (D-Helena) would base the provider rate on the results of the study.
Federal rules state that anyone enrolled in Medicaid cannot be removed from the program during a public health emergency. However, the aggregate spending bill recently passed by Congress allows states to begin reviewing the eligibility of their beneficiaries in April and consequently millions across the US. risk of losing insurance.
“That would have the inherent result of weeding out people who qualify for Medicaid but because the process is so complicated they lose it,” Caferro said.
Caferro said she plans to introduce legislation that restores 12-month continuous eligibility for adults enrolled in Medicaid Montana. The measure could be opposed by Republican legislative members and Gianforte, who co-signed a letter to President Joe Biden in December saying the public health emergency had increased the number of people who are artificially entitled to Medicaid.
