Mar 5, 2019

Rural nursing homes keep closing

Caitlin Owens, author of Vitals

More than 440 rural nursing homes have closed or merged over the last 10 years, often forcing residents to relocate far from their homes and families, the New York Times reports.

The big picture: Some of those closures have been a result of non-compliance with health and safety standards, most have been financial decisions.

Details: Some nursing homes can't find enough people to fill low-paying jobs, while others just aren't making enough to stay in the black.

  • Occupancy rates are falling, per the NYT, and Medicaid rates for long-term care are low.
  • In South Dakota, for example, nursing homes lose about $58 per day for each resident on Medicaid. It pays less than any other state for long-term Medicaid care; 5 nursing homes in the state have closed in the past 3 years.

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