Chronic delays in Illinois’ Medicaid application processing is still haunting a non-for-profit organization forced to close its 98-bed nursing home last year.
Pleasant Hill Village in Girard, IL, decided to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in federal court on Aug. 10, the State Journal-Register reported. The facility closed last September due to a backlog of Medicaid payments. The state owed the facility more than $2 million in Medicaid payments for residents with approved and pending applications.
Pleasant Hill, owned by the Brethren Home of Gerard church, believes the bankruptcy filing will give them time to address unpaid debts owed to former vendors of the nursing home. It hopes to continue to operate its assisted living and independent living apartments.
The state is working to reduce the long-term care Medicaid application backlog, Illinois DHS spokesman Meghan Powers told the newspaper.
“We are committed to reducing the long-term-care backlog, and IDHS, along with our sister agencies like the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, are working closely to bring on more workers to process application and admission forms,” she said.
