The Future of Nursing Home Care in New York Depends on Your Action
With New York’s nursing home Medicaid funding ranked among the worst in the nation, leaders in Albany must act now to protect access to high-quality care for individuals
with complex medical needs and the communities that depend on it.
In the News: New York’s Medicaid Crisis is Crushing Nursing Homes and It’s Time for State Leaders to Act
Medicaid is the primary funding source for most New York nursing homes, yet reimbursement rates have failed to keep pace with inflation, rising health care costs, or severe workforce shortages —particularly in upstate communities. As a result, upstate facilities lose more money annually on average than downstate facilities due to inadequate reimbursement.
Tell Gov. Hochul: Take Action to Ensure Access to Quality Nursing Home Care for Older Adults
Monroe Community Hospital, along with its partners at LeadingAge New York, are calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to prioritize the care of older adults and individuals living with complex medical conditions by adequately funding — and ensuring access to — high-quality nursing home care.
New York is experiencing a wave of nursing home closures and bed reductions because nursing home Medicaid rates are too low. This is limiting the choices available to older adults, delaying hospital discharges, and causing gridlock in hospitals.
New York’s Medicaid reimbursement for nursing homes is among the worst in the country, according to a panel of national experts. They analyzed nursing home Medicaid rates and costs nationwide and found that New York’s nursing home rates covered on average only 76% of the cost of care (MACPAC, Jan. 2023).
Why is Medicaid funding so important?
Medicaid is the predominant payer for nursing home care in New York and nationally -- nearly 75% of the days of care provided in New York’s nursing homes are paid for by Medicaid. Meanwhile, Medicaid nursing home rates are outdated and have not been increased to reflect rising operating costs since 2007.
Inadequate Medicaid rates impact the care for nearly 97,000 nursing home residents in New York daily and threaten the viability of quality nursing homes. Low Medicaid reimbursement limits providers’ ability to offer competitive wages and maintain appropriate staffing levels. With rates that don’t cover costs, homes that offer better staffing and wages face the greatest financial strain.
What can be done about it?
Your voice matters and now is a great time to contact the governor!
In the upcoming State budget, New York must prioritize the well-being of older adults and medically vulnerable individuals by updating nursing home Medicaid reimbursement to reflect resident needs and today’s costs.
This can be accomplished by:
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Renewing the $445 million investment made in the SFY 2025-26 budget.
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Updating, without delay, adjustments for resident acuity (currently frozen at July 2023 levels), and
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Restoring capital reimbursement cuts.
These actions are critical to ensure sustainable access to high-quality nursing home care for older adults and others.
Enter your information in the form on this page to send a message to the Governor.