According to a story in the Tulsa World, the Oklahoma Association of Health Care Providers is warning that “up to 93 percent of Oklahoma nursing homes” will close if a 25% cut in the Medicaid rate goes into effect. The group says the results would be devastating, creating a crisis for families with loved ones in those homes, plus the loss of nearly 17,000 jobs.
The report claims that the total number of elderly and disabled that could be displaced is about 16,800. The decision to cut the rate was made by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority last week, driven by the loss a projected state deficit of $1.3 billion dollars in the next fiscal year. Over the past 10 years,
This could place about 16,800 elderly and disabled patients at risk of being displaced from their nursing homes.
The decision by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to slash the rate came last week as the state slips into a deepening revenue failure, estimated to reach at least $1.3 billion by next fiscal year.
The Tulsa World is reporting more on the story and the possibility of creative solutions that are being discussed. Find the full story when you click here.
