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Lawmakers flagged concern that Medicaid payments may not cover nursing home costs
Summary
Several legislators and the Wyoming Hospital Association urged the joint committee to examine Medicaid reimbursement for nursing homes and long-term care to avoid facility closures; sponsors requested detailed agency reports in interim work.
Representative Joseph Claussen told the joint committee that Medicaid reimbursement for nursing homes may fall short of the actual cost of care and that some facilities are financially strained.
"I don't feel like we are currently funding even the cost of care for our nursing homes in the state, and I'm afraid we start losing nursing homes," Claussen said. He asked the Department of Health to provide detailed figures and analysis so the committee could understand the gap between payments and costs and consider potential appropriations.
Committee members noted the complexity of nursing-home financing and suggested a multi-hour briefing with the Department of Health and actuaries. Eric Boley of the Wyoming Hospital Association supported closer examination, saying reimbursement disparities are a long-standing problem and urging the committee to review task-force recommendations and program overviews already produced by the department.
The Department of Health and other agencies offered to provide program reports, actuarial analyses and historical reimbursement tables for interim review. No legislation or vote was taken; sponsors asked staff to gather materials for an in-depth interim session.
