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Merrimack County nursing home warns of budget hit after state Medicaid adjustment; board approves training and wellness coordinator
Summary
County nursing home officials told commissioners a state DHHS budget change reduced Medicaid rates and prompted conservative budgeting; the board approved tuition reimbursement for an LPN’s RN course and an addendum to a rehab contract to add a wellness coordinator.
Nursing home officials told the Merrimack County Board today that a state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) budget adjustment reduced Medicaid reimbursement rates and has put pressure on facility budgets, prompting conservative planning and a small county subsidy request.
Nursing home administrator Heather Mowquin said DHHS initially proposed a 4% cut in the nursing home Medicaid rate—"a really scary proposal of a 4% reduction, which was $14 a day"—but that subsequent advocacy reduced the impact to a 1.1% adjustment effective Jan. 1. "We did still have a reduction, but it was a much better rate than initially proposed," Mowquin said, while warning the current figure only covers through July 1 and that the state will issue new rates that month.
The administration told…
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