Conn. (WTNH) — Governor Ned Lamont announced Sunday the state’s nursing homes would be getting additional financial aid and resources during the coronavirus pandemic.
Nursing homes and facilities like the Golden Hill Rehab Pavillion have been hot zones for the virus for weeks, and it is just where you don’t want it because senior citizens are much more vulnerable and much more likely to get sick and die from the coronavirus.
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Governor Lamont said Sunday he “is directing his administration to boost Medicaid payments for all of the state’s 215 nursing homes by an additional 5% above the recently announced 10% increase. Together, the 15% across-the-board financial relief will provide an additional $65 million in Medicaid payment increases to the state’s nursing homes.”
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In a letter to nursing homes and the Nursing Home Employee Union he praised the work of nursing home employees, saying they “provide an incredible service to the people of our state, including the 22,000 residents who receive direct care in nursing homes on a daily basis.”
The state’s increased financial support will be applied toward:
· Employee wages, including staff retention bonuses, overtime, and shift incentive payments;
· New costs related to screening of visitors;
· Personal protective equipment;
· Cleaning and housekeeping supplies; and
· Other costs related to COVID-19.
In addition, the governor’s office announced the implementation of the following additional measures to the state’s Medicaid program:
· The state will provide an across-the-board rate increase of 10% for non-COVID beds, retroactive to March 1 (previously, the 10% increase was to take effect April 1).
· The state will provide an additional across-the-board rate increase of 5% for non-COVID beds for the period of April 1 through June 30, bringing the total increase during this period of 15%.
· The state will reimburse at $400 per day for COVID-positive residents in non-COVID recovery facilities. This rate is in effect for a maximum of 30 days per bed.
· The state’s advance of $11.6 million from the initial 10% rate increase, which was received by skilled nursing facilities on April 7, is now being extended back to March 1 – adding $12 million in immediate revenue.
The State will also be visiting every nursing home in CT to “extend additional support.”
To view the form that will be used during these site visits, click here.
