Local nursing homes want bigger stake in state budget as staff mandate begins
Article originally featured in Rochester First/WROC on April 1, 2022.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — It’s April 1st, but the 2023 New York State budget has not passed on time.
Meanwhile, some nursing homes say they need more assistance from the budget as they face major staffing shortages.
One Rochester-area home says the minimal increase in New York’s Medicaid reimbursements of just 1% is not enough to combat staffing issues.
Michael McRae, President and CEO of St. Ann’s Community says an increase of around 7% is more appropriate.
“Nursing homes in New York State have not received an increase in Medicaid in the last 14 years. We know the cost of living has gone up about 31%,” McRae said.
McRae says there is a shortage of about 12,000 nursing home workers, statewide. But a larger increase in Medicaid reimbursement could fix this, he says.
“In Rochester, we know that there are about 1,500 skilled beds offline right now, and they are offline directly tied to the lack of availability of staff.”
“This ties back to the Medicaid reimbursement for New York State,” he said. “Being a non-for-profit provider, what it typically means is you may not be able to provide as many available beds as you would like to, because you don’t have the staff available.”
To watch the full interview, click the image below.
About St. Ann’s Community:
St. Ann’s Community is Rochester’s leading senior housing and health services provider. With campuses in Irondequoit, Webster, LeRoy, and a partner in Canandaigua, St. Ann’s offers a continuum of care that includes independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, transitional care/rehab, hospice/palliative care, and adult day programs. One of Greater Rochester’s largest private employers, St. Ann’s has more than 1,000 employees who are Caring for the Most Important People on Earth. For more information, call (585) 697-6000 or visit www.stannscommunity.com