Medicaid cut won’t hurt patients, staff, at Marianna Health and Rehab

By Kate McCardell

Published: May 13, 2008

The staff and residents at Marianna Health and Rehabilitation Center won’t have to worry any time soon whether statewide rate cuts on Medicaid funding will affect their livelihood.

Neither staff nor residents’ services will be reduced in the face of the second Medicaid rate cut seen by health care facilities this year, according to MHR Assistant Administrator Melinda Gay.

“We are not going to close our doors, we are not going to stop accepting Medicaid patients, we’re not going to have less hours per day to care for residents and we’re not cutting our staffing,” said Gay.

The facility’s residency is made up of about 75 percent Medicaid patients, with the other 25 percent being patients under Medicare or private pay, said Gay.
She also said Medicare and private-pay patients will not experience a rate increase as a result of the rate cuts.

“All of our residents will still get the same great care. They’ll still get to go out. They’ll still get to have parties. They won’t feel this at all,” said Gay.
Last January, the center experienced its first Medicaid cut of the year, a decrease from $157.49 per patient per day to the current rate of $156.209.
With the 2008-2009 state budget to be set by Gov. Charlie Crist this July, the average rate cut for facility’s such as Marianna Health and Rehab is expected to be between 1and 2 percent.

Gay said that while some private facilities might cut staff or raise rates to offset the decrease, Marianna’s city-owned facility has a rare situation — it’s one of only two city-owned facilities of its kind in the state. The effect of the Medicaid rate cut, said Gay, will be felt by the city in the form of less revenue from the facility.

“We were created and opened back in 1971 because there was a need for a nursing home care among Marianna residents,” said Gay. “We are non-profit driven and we strive to take care of residents of Marianna, Jackson County and surrounding areas. Since we opened, it’s still been our goal to serve the residents of this area for their rehab and long-term care needs.”

Those interested in services available at Marianna Health and Rehabilitation Center may call 482-8091.