NY County Nursing Homes in Jeopardy, CGR Study Finds
The Center for Governmental Research (CGR), with assistance from LeadingAge New York who provided much of the data, released a new statewide study on the future of County Nursing Homes in NYS. CGR's study was funded by the New York State Health Foundation and identifies key consequences of previous decisions to sell or close county homes, shifting beds from the public to the private sector and provides data-driven policy guidance to state and county officials.
Highlights include:
- 92% of county-owned homes outside of NYC are losing money, with employee benefit costs key drivers of annual operating deficits.
- By the end of 2010, median operating losses per resident day had doubled since 2006, and quadrupled since 2001.
- At least 13 of 33 counties outside of NYC that operate their own nursing homes are now in the process of selling or actively considering selling them.
- For counties remaining in the business, continuing to operate the homes in the future as they have been in the past is unsustainable.
- The results of recent sales and closures of county homes outside NYC are, to date, mixed. They range from positive improvements to a sale that ultimately resulted in the state closing a home run by the new owner due to poor performance, displacing more than 100 residents.
- The report includes recommendations and guidelines for action by state and county officials.
The study website includes quick access to CGR's report; a summary of Key Findings; Recommendations for State Officials; and Guidelines for Counties Exploring Future Options for Their Nursing Homes.
Contact: Linda Spokane, lspokane@leadingageny.org, 518.867.8857