Greetings from the district,
On August 1, more than 300 nursing homes across the state received their first payment of emergency nursing home aid. The funding was the result of a bipartisan agreement brokered by Senate Republicans at the end of this year’s legislative session to provide $300 million in emergency assistance to help nursing facilities in crisis.
Nursing homes in Minnesota have been facing a serious crisis. Many are struggling financially and at risk of closing. Around 50 have closed in recent years. Staff retention is also a major challenge.
In 2022, when Republicans controlled the Senate, we approved $1 billion in nursing home aid with bipartisan support, but House Democrats and Governor Walz did not agree to that amount. This past session, there was again disagreement about how much financial assistance to provide nursing homes, with Republicans wanting to do more and Democrats less. In the end, we were able to reach a deal that will provide much needed assistance to facilities across the state.
The Nursing Facility Grants provide a total of $173.5 million in funding. The grants are split into two payments to be paid out in August 2023 and August 2024. This funding is calculated by a base payment of $225,000 plus an estimated $3,900 per bed.
The grants can be used for various fiscal management strategies to improve the financial health of nursing homes. Unlike loans in the Human Services budget, these grants will not need to be repaid, making their impact much more meaningful for nursing homes.
In Senate District 26, 12 nursing homes received their first payment on August 1, 2023. A second payment is planned for next August. In total, local facilities will receive the following funding:
- Chosen Valley Care Center, Chatfield: $538,288
- Good Shepherd Lutheran Home, Rushford: $486,073
- Green Lea Senior Living, Mabel: $389,677
- Gunderson Harmony Care Center, Harmony: $397,710
- La Crescent Health Services, La Crescent: $393,694
- Lake Winona Manor, Winona: $666,816
- Ostrander Care And Rehab, Ostrander: $325,413
- Saint Anne Extended Healthcare, Winona: $662,800
- Sauer Health Care, Winona: $510,172
- Spring Valley Care Center, Spring Valley: $425,826
- Tweeten Lutheran Health CC, Spring Grove: $425,826
- Valley View Healthcare & Rehab, Houston: $385,661
Additionally, $51.5 million in state money supplemental to federal funds will enable a temporary $12.32 daily rate add-on for 18 months. Nursing home administrators say that this could translate into a pay raise of about $1 per hour for nursing home staff. The remaining funds from the $300 million are put into a Workforce Incentive Fund (WIF) that facilities can use for hiring and retention bonuses, employee-owned benefits, and employee contributions to a 401k, along with professional development, childcare, meals, transportation, and housing needs of employees. The WIF caps out at $3000 per worker, per year and is available until funds are spent or July 2029.
Contact me:
As always, your feedback is extremely important to me and I encourage you to share your input on the issues being discussed at the Capitol. If you have any questions, thoughts, or ideas, please send me an email at sen.jeremy.miller@senate.mn or call my Capitol office at 651-296-5649.
It’s a great honor to serve as your State Senator.