Nursing home Medicaid rates in Illinois would be tied to resident outcomes and rooms would be restricted to three or fewer residents in a new reform proposal backed by providers and consumer advocates.
The Compromise Nursing Home Rate reform bills were proposed in both the Illinois House and Senate earlier this month by Rep. Anna Moeller (D) and Sen. Ann Gillespie (R). The lawmakers on Wednesday were joined by nursing home and AARP officials pushing the Legislature to pass the proposals.
The bill also would require greater transparency of nursing home ownership and revenue. In addition, it would address racial inequities and health disparities of nursing home residents enrolled in Medicaid.
“The language at hand emphasizes staffing and quality resident outcomes as a cornerstone of how centers should be funded, while providing a solid footing for the future of the profession as a whole,” said Matt Hartman, executive director of the Illinois Health Care Association, in a statement.
Providers believe in serving seniors with dignity and compassion and having a Medicaid reimbursement system in place that allows them to do that, argued Angela Schnepf, LeadingAge Illinois president and CEO.
“We believe the Medicaid Rate Reform proposal, which was agreed to by all stakeholders, does just that,” she added.
