Another handful of states are now leveraging Medicaid to assist nursing homes struggling with added costs during the coronavirus pandemic, LeadingAge detailed in a new blog post.
State officials in Kansas and Virginia have recently approved increasing per diem rates for providers during the public health crisis. Virginia approved a $20 add-on to nursing home per diem rates in late May, with payments retroactive to March 12.
Kansas also approved a $20 daily add-on to nursing homes per diems last week. The payments are retroactive to March 13 and will expire after 120 days, or until the end of the crisis, the organization explained.
Nursing homes in Ohio with healthcare isolation centers that provide care to COVID-19 patients will now receive extra payment from the state. In late May, the state agreed to pay the centers based on acuity, with a low rate of $250 per diem and as much as $984 per diem.
Providers in New Mexico will now see a 30% rate increase for Medicaid residents who test positive for COVID-19. The rate increase, which was approved by the state in late May, will be equal to 30% of each facility’s higher rate, according to LeadingAge.
In Georgia, the state approved interim payments for nursing facilities. Providers will be paid weekly and receive a different payment amount based on average payments from December, January and February. The payments are retroactive to March 1 and active through the end of the national emergency period.
