Concerns Rise About Medicaid Cuts Impacting WI Nursing Homes

Article Summary –

Nursing homes in Wisconsin are facing financial struggles due to increasing long-term care demands, rising staff costs, and insufficient Medicaid reimbursement rates, leading to numerous facility sales and closures. Proposed federal Medicaid cuts by the U.S. House of Representatives could exacerbate these challenges, potentially displacing residents who rely on Medicaid for their care and destabilizing the local economies reliant on these institutions. Community members, like Alva Clymer, emphasize the personal and economic importance of these nursing homes, warning that cuts could lead to staff reductions, economic instability, and difficult family decisions regarding unpaid care for elderly relatives.

Nursing homes in Wisconsin face financial challenges as demand for long-term aging care rises while Medicaid reimbursement rates stay low. Since 2016, 125 nursing homes have been sold, and in 2023, 148 assisted living facilities closed.

Now, the U.S. House of Representatives considers cutting federal Medicaid funding, worrying residents, workers, and communities of these facilities.

Medicaid, a state and federally funded public health program, provides care to low-income patients, covering services like long-term care. In Wisconsin, 64% of nursing home residents receive Medicaid assistance, as per the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

Lisa Davidson, CEO of LeadingAge Wisconsin, says potential Medicaid cuts could severely affect residents’ lives, disrupting both medical care and personal connections formed in these communities.

“If that payer is removed, where would those people go? They would lack care. Skilled nursing provides critical, complex care. Without Medicaid, facilities may fundamentally change for the worse,” Davidson warns.

Portage County in central Wisconsin is considering selling its costly nursing home to a private entity. This decision impacts residents like Grace Skibicki, who relies on Medicaid after depleting her savings.

Alva Clymer, a friend of Skibicki, is an advocate for keeping the nursing home county-operated, emphasizing its importance to the local community in Stevens Point.

Davidson highlights the economic impact Medicaid cuts would have, potentially leading to job losses and forcing families to make tough decisions, reminiscent of the sacrifices made during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nursing homes, already struggling with upkeep, face an uncertain future without knowing long-term resource availability. “Medicaid cuts would severely harm skilled nursing facilities’ operations,” Davidson states.