By GRANT SCHULTE-Associated Press
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska's nursing homes and other long-term care facilities will get a temporary financial boost from the state to help cover the cost of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, state officials said Monday as the number of virus-related hospitalizations hit a new record.
The state will increase its Medicaid reimbursement for care facilities by an extra $20 per day for each eligible resident, using a combination of federal and state money. The cost of caring for long-term care residents varies widely throughout Nebraska, but the average is around $200, so the extra money would amount to about a 10% increase, health officials said.
Nebraska's long-term care facilities have been hit especially hard by the pandemic, with residents accounting for about 36% of the state's overall virus deaths. The virus has infected 1,774 long-term care residents and 1,832 staff members since the pandemic began, and 238 residents have died, according to state health officials.
"This financial aid could not have come at a better time," said Heath Boddy, president and CEO of the Nebraska Health Care Association.
Boddy said care facilities will likely use the money to cover earlier pandemic-related expenses, and possibly offer retention and recruitment bonuses to help with staffing shortages.
The assistance will apply retroactively to costs incurred from May 1 and will continue until the end of this year. The additional aid will cost $40 million, with $25 million coming from the federal government and $15 million from the state, said Jeremy Brunssen, interim director of Nebraska's Division of Medicaid and Long-Term Care.
"It really has been a team effort with regard to keeping our seniors safe in long-term care facilities," Gov. Pete Ricketts said at a news conference announcing the increase.
The announcement came as Nebraska's hospitals saw a record number of coronavirus patients on Sunday.
State public health officials reported 613 active hospitalizations on Sunday, up slightly from 612 the day before. The numbers have surged over the last month, according to the state's online tracking portal. Overall, 3,050 people in Nebraska have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
The number of new cases fell to 934 on Sunday, down from 1,087 the previous day.
Nebraska has seen 71,666 known coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, including 654 deaths. So far, 44,773 are listed as recovered.
Nebraska still has 32% of its hospital beds available, as well as 37% of its intensive care unit beds and 77% of its ventilators.