Nursing homes are looking for emergency funding during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Care Providers Oklahoma President and CEO Steven Buck said the group is supporting a request by care facilities nationwide for $10 billion out of $175 billion in a provider relief fund created by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
"The operators of the buildings are continuing to face significant financial stress put on by COVID-19. Their PPE costs are up about 500% compared to where they were on Jan. 1, and certainly, the amount of overtime and new employees on the unit that are having to be paid are taking a toll," Buck said.
There's a state solution Care Providers Oklahoma is pushing for, too.
"One that certainly has been done in over a dozen states now which is an emergency add-on payment to the Medicaid rate that is paid by the state," Buck said.
Buck said nursing homes lacked access to personal protective equipment and testing in the early stages of the outbreak that could have helped contain the coronavirus’ spread.
