Oklahoma: State to cut nursing home Medicaid pay by 3.25%
Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry (D)
Starting April 1, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority is reducing Medicaid reimbursements to nursing homes by 3.25%.
While the reduction is expected to save the Medicaid agency $5 million, it also will result in the loss of $15 million in federal matching dollars, according to a Tulsa World report. Long-term care and other healthcare providers that serve Medicaid patients will face the same payment cut.The drop could result in the closing of some rural nursing homes, according to the Oklahoma Association of Health Care Providers.
In December, the authority's board trimmed about $17 million in state funds from its budget. Those cuts included reducing administrative costs, changes to durable medical equipment and prescription benefits, and changes in payments to providers for certain services.
