Governor Mills proposed and the Legislature permitted the funds as a part of bipartisan finances to assist services recuperate from the pandemic
Governor Janet Mills introduced immediately that her Administration has issued $25 million in one-time COVID-19 funds to 211 long-term care organizations to assist them recuperate from the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Mills proposed the MaineCare (Medicaid) funds in her supplemental finances that was handed by the Legislature on a bipartisan foundation. Moreover, the Maine Division of Well being and Human Companies (DHHS) is growing flexibility in the usage of these and associated funds, akin to for gas and different prices associated to international inflation.
“Lengthy-term care services present essential companies for Maine folks, and they’re nonetheless feeling the impacts of the pandemic – challenges which have solely been made tougher by inflation,” stated Governor Janet Mills. “I’m proud the Legislature supported my proposal to offer extra funding, and I’m happy we’re getting these sources into the arms of our caregivers rapidly to allow them to proceed to do their essential work – it couldn’t come at a greater time.”
“This injection of funding will assist long-term care services offset unexpectedly excessive prices akin to contract employees, meals, and different pandemic-related bills,” stated Jeanne Lambrew, Commissioner of the Division of Well being and Human Companies. “The grants are a part of unprecedented assist for these services that not solely acknowledges their essential function in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic however displays Governor Mills’ dedication to creating high-quality long-term companies and helps reasonably priced and accessible for Maine residents.”
“At this time’s announcement is welcome information as Maine’s long-term care services and their devoted caregivers proceed to really feel the affect of COVID-19,” stated Angela Westhoff, President and CEO of the Maine Well being Care Affiliation. “We recognize Governor Mills’ recognition of the persistent pressure on suppliers and are grateful that extra sources are being distributed. We’re additionally happy with the Administration’s response to our request for higher flexibility in the usage of these funds with respect to labor prices, as our members persevere to present care to hundreds of susceptible Maine residents every day.”
The 211 organizations receiving grants characterize 272 service areas all through the state. The $25 million shall be distributed proportionally primarily based on every facility’s 2019 MaineCare income and complete MaineCare mattress days in 2021. For services that obtained little to no MaineCare income in 2019, the Division will use income from a newer 12-month interval to find out distribution of the supplemental fee quantities by facility.
The Division can also be informing long-term care services about higher flexibility on the makes use of of one-time funding to assist them recuperate from the pandemic and fight rising prices related to inflation. This consists of addressing pandemic-related value will increase of hiring and retaining employees and better bills, akin to for meals, gas, and vitality payments. This flexibility applies to the brand new $25 million introduced immediately in addition to to any remaining funds from final yr’s $123 million one-time COVID-19 supplemental funds to nursing services, residential care services, and grownup household care houses.
These funds construct on the Mills Administration’s historic monetary and operational assist for nursing services, which incorporates:
- In June 2019, Governor Mills signed into legislation a biennial finances that devoted $25 million to offer a cost-of-living adjustment to nursing services. In consequence, nursing facility charges elevated, on common, by 5 % for Fiscal 12 months 2020;
- In March 2020, on the onset of the pandemic, the Mills Administration started $9 million in temporary payment rate increases to nursing services for further prices related to COVID-19, together with staffing above and past customary ranges to keep up correct ratios and to observe residents and display guests, provides and PPE, akin to face masks and robes, past the quantities usually bought;
- In November 2020, the Mills Administration introduced that it would reimburse nursing services for his or her prices to conduct Federally-required surveillance testing utilizing business laboratories;
- In December 2020, the Mills Administration awarded $5.1 million to well being care services, most of which have been nursing services, to cowl bills ensuing from the pandemic;
- In July 2021, Governor Mills signed the FY22-23 biennial finances that devoted $36.4 million in cost-of-living changes and rebasing funding for nursing services;
- In August 2021, the Mills Administration awarded $12.5 million to nursing and residential care services to assist them cowl bills ensuing from the pandemic;
- In September 2021, the Mills Administration delivered $123 million in one-time funding, together with $30 million in Normal Fund {dollars} licensed by way of the biennial finances signed into legislation by the Governor, for nursing services, residential care services, and grownup household care houses to assist deal with workforce points by retaining present employees or hiring new vaccinated employees;
- In December 2021, the Mills Administration introduced its plan to extend charges for long-term care services by $4.5 million from January to June 2022, and add one other $7.6 million by way of the finances for supplemental wage changes for fiscal yr 2022;
- Efficient July 1, 2022, fee charges elevated to assist paying direct care employees a minimum of 125 % of minimal wage, on prime of rebasing charges. Fee letters together with these quantities are forthcoming, with the upper charges being retroactive to July 1.
That is along with a minimum of $50 million in monetary aid distributed straight by the Federal authorities to nursing services throughout Maine.
Pandemic Help: Because the starting of the pandemic, nursing services have submitted and obtained over 330,000 COVID-19 take a look at outcomes from Maine’s Well being and Environmental Testing Laboratory and these services have additionally positioned over 6,400 private protecting tools (PPE) requests and obtained over 2.1 million items of PPE. Since January 2021, the Division has used over $2 million in Federal funds to assist 23,910 hours of emergency nurse and associated staffing to almost one-third of Maine long-term care services to assist take care of residents in the course of the pandemic.
Workforce Coaching: Recognizing the necessity to deal with the workforce challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Mills included $20 million within the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan to assist well being care workforce coaching. This consists of scholarships and scholar mortgage aid to allow extra folks to turn into behavioral well being specialists, long run assist employees, emergency medical companies employees, and different well being professionals. The Jobs Plan moreover helps advertising campaigns geared toward selling well being care careers in Maine and Healthcare Training for ME, a program to develop the supply of free and low-cost profession coaching to assist well being care employees advance their careers, assist workforce coaching wants of well being care employers, and entice new employees to fast-growing fields. The Jobs Plan can also be supporting the Caring for ME marketing campaign to teach and encourage residents to turn into direct care suppliers.
Cupboard on Growing older: Governor Mills established the Cupboard on Growing older on June 13, 2022 to assist Maine put together for and deal with demographic adjustments by advancing insurance policies that can assist Maine folks in ageing safely, affordably, and in methods and settings that greatest serve their wants. The Cupboard will deliver collectively State authorities companies to enhance coordination and to speed up motion. It held its first assembly on July 28 and is more likely to take into account reforms to long-term companies and helps in Maine.
