(The Center Square) – Nursing home officials and lawmakers warn inequities in care will jeopardize the lives of Illinois residents without immediate reforms.
During a virtual news conference Wednesday, lawmakers and nursing home industry officials pushed for the passage of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Compromise Nursing Home Rate Reform bills.
Lori Hendren, associate state director for AARP Illinois, said nursing home residents and staff have experienced devastating conditions during the pandemic.
“Lawmakers must take action now to protect nursing home residents and staff by approving reforms to a rate system that is clearly broken,” said Hendren.
The measures would prioritize accountability and workforce development in long-term care facilities, and end the practice of overcrowding “ward-like” nursing home rooms with three or more residents.
The legislation would also require greater transparency of nursing home ownership and revenue, and directly tie funding and rates to sustained nursing home performance.
Lawmakers and advocates basically agree nursing homes should have a patient-driven payment model.
“High-Medicaid, for-profit nursing homes make up 95% of all understaffed facilities in Illinois, according to the HFS report,” said Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin.
A recent survey by AARP Illinois showed a majority of voters support increasing funding to direct care workers in nursing homes (82%) and requiring the majority of taxpayer funding go toward staffing and safety protocols (90%).
“Our members believe in serving seniors with dignity and compassion and that we need a Medicaid reimbursement system in place that encourages all organizations to do the same,” said Angela Schnepf, president of LeadingAge Illinois. “This reimbursement model rewards staffing and outcomes while helping restrict over-coding acuity.”