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Michigan Veterans Homes rated top 5% by CMS; $34 million state match to underpin Marquette replacement project
Summary
Anne Zerbe, executive director of Michigan Veterans Homes, told the committee that all three state veteran homes are CMS five‑star facilities and described a planned $97 million replacement of the Jacobetti facility in Marquette, driven by a $34 million state match that leverages federal funds.
Anne Zerbe, executive director of Michigan Veterans Homes, briefed the House Family and Veterans Committee on the state’s three veterans homes and a planned replacement of the Jacobetti (Marquette) facility.
Zerbe said the state operates three homes — Chesterfield, Grand Rapids and Jacobetti in Marquette — under a VA–state partnership that provides per‑diem funding. She reported that all three homes now carry five‑star ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Grand Rapids and Chesterfield rank 11th and Jacobetti 13th among Michigan nursing homes in CMS ratings, putting them in the top 5% statewide.
Zerbe described an infrastructure plan for Jacobetti: the state approved a $34 million state-match appropriation that will unlock approximately $63–64 million in federal match funding through the VA for a total project budget she cited as $97 million. The project is designed using a “small home” model with a central community space and smaller household clusters to create a more residential environment.
Timeline and operations: Zerbe said the final federal grant paperwork was nearing completion and anticipated construction would start this year in May, with a construction window of roughly 24 to 36 months. She noted the Marquette building dates to the 1950s and has infrastructure challenges the project aims to address.
Capacity, staffing and wait lists: Zerbe said the homes operate near full census and maintain short-term beds for emergent needs, with wait lists at Chesterfield and Grand Rapids; Jacobetti’s wait list was shorter, she said. She reported roughly 400 state employees at the three facilities and an additional 400–500 contracted staff — for a total workforce around 900 — and said staffing metrics compare favorably on CMS staffing measures.
Funding and risk: Committee members asked whether proposed federal Medicaid or Medicare funding changes would affect operations. Zerbe said the homes receive VA per‑diem support and other payments from CMS, Medicaid and out‑of‑pocket sources; if federal reimbursements declined, additional state general‑fund support would be a legislative decision.
Why it matters: The replacement project in Marquette represents a major capital investment intended to modernize long‑term care for veterans in northern Michigan, while the homes’ CMS ratings and staffing numbers were presented as evidence of improved care quality.
