Data draws link between Medicaid and nursing home services
Massachusetts nursing homes that are most dependent on Medicaid funding score the lowest in staffing hours, overall quality and consumer satisfaction, according to data released Wednesday by the senior care industry.
According to the Massachusetts Senior Care Association (MSCA), the state's average five-star rating for nursing homes from federal regulators is 3.42, compared to the national average of 3.21, and 70 percent of Massachusetts nursing homes have three or more stars.
But the association, which is pressing Beacon Hill to help raise the wages of certified nursing assistants, says there is a "strong link" between funding from Medicaid, the state's large health insurance program, and the ability for homes to invest in staff and quality care.
"It is important to remember that 70 percent of nursing home residents are reliant on Medicaid to pay for their care, so adequate Medicaid funding is our vital partner and a prerequisite to being able to provide the care our residents deserve," MSCA President Ned Morse said in a statement.
Homes with the fewest number of residents whose care is paid for by Medicaid have the highest staffing levels. The association said Gov. Charlie Baker's $39.55 billion fiscal 2017 budget includes a "critical first step" toward a "living wage" for nursing assistants - a $30 million Medicaid rate increase for nursing homes. The House version of Baker's budget is scheduled for release on April 13.
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