Nursing homes can't reverse hit as final state budget signed

Despite a high-profile campaign to reverse earlier budget cuts for nursing homes, the industry will still experience a nearly 6% cut in state Medicaid payments in the final budget signed by Gov. Kasich yesterday (Source: “Once-powerful nursing homes take a 6% hit in new budget,” Columbus Dispatch, June 30, 2011).

Greg Moody, director of Kasich's Office of Health Transformation, said the budget increases total Medicaid spending on long-term care by $166 million over the next two years, but most of the additional dollars are going to home and community-based services. Spending on the popular PASSPORT home-care program will jump $55.6 million.

"This should accelerate the progress (the state has made) to rebalance the long-term-care budget," he said. "It was our No. 1 budget directive."

The Office of Health Transformation has released a series of fact sheets explaining the Administration’s position on several key budget areas:
PASSPORT
Long-term care
Nursing facilities