Jan. 1 cuts severely impacted many nursing facilities
We thank Gov. Kelly Ayotte and policymakers who have tried to stand by nursing home care
Nursing home caregivers and all the staff who support quality care -- activities professionals, dietary, housekeeping, and maintenance workers -- are everyday heroes. Gov. Kelly Ayotte and legislators have tried to maintain progress for nursing home care, and added funding to better process Medicaid long-term care applications.
When a funding shortfall threatened Jan. 1 cuts, funds were shifted to mitigate the cuts. This effort, supported by Gov. Ayotte and her Department of Health & Human Services, the Executive Council, and the legislative Fiscal Committee, is much appreciated. However, many facilities are still hard-hit by the complicated Medicaid reimbursement methodology. Work must occur in the 2026 legislative session to further bolster care funding, or a number of facilities will close and access to care will be further restricted in our aging state.
Nursing home care finances are precarious, with no margin for cuts
Most nursing home residents have their care paid for by Medicaid. New Hampshire has the nation's second-oldest population, and facilities are already turning away residents because they cannot find enough staff. Most Medicaid care costs are wages and benefits. At a minimum, Medicaid cuts will prevent nursing homes from being able to pay the higher wages they have given the staff they already have, quite apart from restricting their ability to hire new staff and pay other rising costs associated with care of our most frail and vulnerable Granite Staters.