Washington — A Washington state lawmaker claimed a budget proposal by Senate Democrats isn’t enough to cover a shortfall in Medicaid reimbursement rates to skilled nursing facilities.
The proposed plan would allocate $24 million every two years despite Medicaid rates underfunding facilities by $116 million per year, according to State Sen. Steven O’Ban (R). He added the proposed plan would leave facilities with an annual shortfall of about $95 million annually.
“We simply can’t afford to lose any more of these needed facilities for our elderly population, especially as that population grows. This budget may do nothing more than postpone more closures by a few months,” he said in a statement.
The state has seen more than 30 nursing homes close over the last nine years.
