Florida cut nursing home reimbursements for Medicaid patients by 3 percent effective January 1, 2008; now paying an average of just $7.21 per patient per hour to feed, house and care for nursing home patients. “Personally, I pay my children’s babysitter more,” Mark Niemeyer, an administrator with administrator of Adventist Care Centers-Courtland, told the Orlando Business Journal, adding that if the state continues to cut Medicaid reimbursement rates there should be more flexibility on the statutory mandated staffing levels.

This is the worst action nursing home facilities can take in response to Medicaid cuts. Many of these facilities already are understaffed. Florida’s senior citizens deserve adequate staffing to meet their needs. The bottom line: a nursing home’s staff-to-resident ratio has direct correlation to the quality of care that residents receive. It is troubling that the top guy at a nursing home facility would recommend cutting staff. There must be a better solution that would not adversely affect patient care.

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.