(Western Mass News – Glenn Kittle) After news was released that 4 nursing homes in western Massachusetts plan to close, state legislators told us that a COVID-19 pandemic policy is partially to blame.
A state mandate implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic required nursing homes to limit the number of patients per bedroom, as well as cap reimbursement rates for providers.
The closures include the Chapin Center in Springfield, Governor’s Center in Westfield, and Willimansett Centers East and West in Chicopee.
Now, lawmakers in western Mass. are asking the Massachusetts Office of Health and Human Services to suspend the state mandate.
The anticipated closures have also prompted State Representative Bud Williams to take action. He has penned a letter to Governor Maura Healey and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to suspend a COVID-era state mandate that limits the number of patients in beds to two per room and caps reimbursement rates for providers.
Representative Williams told Western Mass News that the math is simple. Fewer people in long-term care facilities means less money, and less money means these facilities come to a close.
“During COVID, the number of persons in a room went from 3 to 2,” he said. “You can imagine the economic devastation that has caused western Massachusetts.”
Representative Williams said that this is not only putting people out of their homes; those who work out the facilities will soon be without jobs.
State Senator John Velis told Western Mass News that the economic ripple effect from this state mandate has many implications.
“Really, at this point, the only thing that is top of mind for me is the well-being of the residents that are there, the families, the staff that are out of a job,” Senator Velis said. “I’m just really upset that we’re hearing about this, really, quite frankly, in a new cycle that these facilities are closing.”
Williams added that a suspension of the mandate would allow these long-term care facilities to get back on track financially and keep people from having to find a new job, and for many, a new home.
“We’re requesting the governor and the legislative leaders to take a pause,” Representative Williams said. “Let’s not make this happen until 2024 when we have an opportunity to make the transition of folks losing jobs and beds.”
We reached out to Governor Healey and the Department of Health and Human Services for comment and have yet to hear back from them.
We will continue to bring you the latest information as it enters our newsroom.