I want to take this opportunity to offer general information about ACA (Affordable Care Act), its framework, and its benefits to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The first COVID-19 wave damaged sNFs because of the high number of patients over 65 and patients that have comorbidities. During the pandemic, it was crucial to quickly adapt to the new situation, find new funding, and use it effectively.
The scale of the impact on SNFs is outsized due to the specific environmental conditions and long-term care patients’ vulnerability. SNFs needed and got additional funding from the Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan (ARP). In the situation of uncertainty and lack of understanding of the long-term effects on nursing homes, the staff must be informed about financial frameworks and be able to provide this information to the patients if needed.
First, ACA (Affordable Care Act) produced an increase in health coverage and expanded Medicaid coverage for long-term treatment. It provided coverage for people with pre-existent conditions and focused on preventive care, including recommended screenings and other services in the insurance (Ochieng et al., 2022). Second, ARP allocated 9.4 billion dollars for SNFs and got an opportunity to apply for additional grants because SBFs treated a large number of COVID-19 patients. In addition, the ARP included 200 million dollars of support for the implementation of testing and vaccination programs in SNFs (Schwartz et al.,2020). However, SNFs must be alert to the changing situation and possible fiscal challenges because the utilization is declining and staffing.
To keep the situation under control and quickly respond to the changing financial situation, we will collect and analyze quarterly changes in the structure of the delivered services. Staff can write to a specially created email address ([email protected]). There will be weekly meetings available on Mondays, and you can schedule the appointment through my assistant.
References
Schwartz, K. et al. (2020). Update on COVID-19 Funding for Hospitals and Other Providers. KKF. Web.
Ochieng, N. et al. (2022). Funding for Health Care Providers During the Pandemic: An Update. KKF. Web.