State Budget Will Hurt Care in Skilled Nursing Facilities

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With the state budget
deliberations completed, Ohio's skilled nursing facilities -- which provide
around-the-clock care to 80,000 frail elderly and disabled patients -- will be
confronted with the harsh reality of meeting increased demand for quality,
around-the-clock care with $184 million less in available resources, even
though costs continue to climb. As a result, skilled nursing facilities will
have to reduce staffing levels even more than they already have; in some
cases, facilities may be forced to close, uprooting patients from their
current places of care.

Peter Van Runkle, Executive Director of the Ohio Health Care Association,
explained, "The state is imposing a $391 million increase in fees that each
skilled nursing facility has to pay on the total number of licensed beds.
Unlike in prior budgets, those fees are not being fully reimbursed. That
unreimbursed amount ($184 million) is equivalent to a 5% rate cut. As a
result, nearly 90% of Medicaid-participating facilities will be losing money
compared to what they received last year."

Victoria Gresh, Executive Director of The Ohio Academy of Nursing Homes, Inc.,
noted, "In addition, the statewide average Medicaid reimbursement rate is
being held flat for the next two years while the costs of providing quality
care continue to increase. For the last five years, the rate of inflation has
been three times greater than the minimal rate increases (1.1% per year) we've
received. We've already cut staff and reduced expenses; unfortunately, some of
our facilities simply won't be able to absorb the additional reductions and
likely will have to shut their doors."

John Alfano, President and Chief Executive Officer of AOPHA (The Advocate Of
Not-For-Profit Services For Older Ohioans) said, "Those who suggest that just
cutting support for skilled nursing care facilities will somehow magically
reduce the need for services provided to those who live there are not painting
an accurate picture. People in our facilities are there because they need our
care. We continue to support increased funding for home and community-based
care but taking funds from skilled nursing doesn't address the overall issue
of a growing elderly population needing various levels of service and
support."

The Ohio Skilled Nursing Care Coalition, consisting of the three organizations
representing Ohio's skilled nursing facilities, asked the legislature and the
Governor to keep these realities in mind and consider increasing the budget
allotment should additional revenues become available later in the biennium.

SOURCE Skilled Nursing Care Coalition

Skilled Nursing Care Coalition, Wayne Hill, (O) +1-216-781-2400, (Mobile)
+1-216-408-1211; or AOPHA, John Alfano, (O) +1-614-444-2882; or The Ohio
Academy of Nursing Homes, Inc., Victoria Gresh, (O) +1-614-461-1922; or Ohio
Health Care Association, Pete Van Runkle (O) +1-614-540-1329