State payment rates to nursing facilities, long-term care facilities and some community service providers would increase under a bill laid over Feb. 22 by the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill.
Sponsored by Rep. Patti Fritz (DFL-Faribault),
HF315 would increase nursing facility rates by 4 percent of the total operating payment rate; Intermediate Care Facilities for the Mentally Retarded would increase by 3 percent; the same as certain community service providers, including home- and community-based waiver services and personal care services. The bill has no Senate companion.
Under the bill, 75 percent of the money resulting from the adjustment would go directly to wage increases and employee benefits.
Fritz said she’s repeatedly asked for increases to facilities during her seven years as a legislator and this bill’s increases don’t catch up to the needs. “Today we’re asking for 4 percent; we are 20 percent behind.”
Sonja Lemire, a licensed practical nurse at Parkview Care Center in Buffalo, said the low staffing levels mean residents don’t get the dignity they deserve. In her memory-care unit there are 30 residents, and she is the only nurse in charge during an eight-hour shift, resulting in a ratio of about 16 minutes per person. The time with patients includes distributing medication and following a care plan with very little human interaction, she said. “It’s almost not humanly possible to give quality care or prevent accidents with current reimbursement rates.”
Lynne Zimmerman, a health care worker, said past cuts to home- and community-based services has placed great pressure on the system. “Possible future cuts will strain the system so much that it really may fail,” she said.
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