$80 Million Awarded to Support Skilled Nursing Facilities in the State

Wednesday, November 18th, 2020 -- 12:02 PM

(WMTV) -State officials announced Tuesday that $80 million was awarded to support skilled nursing facilities in Wisconsin.

Gov. Tony Evers, along with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, announced the award, saying this has been a challenging time amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  “And we can’t express our appreciation enough for the staff at all our skilled nursing facilities,” the governor said. “We are truly grateful for their efforts in showing up to work every day and caring for our loved ones, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we will continue to support them in any way we can.”  Half of the funds will be used to cover eligible costs with the CARES Act Provider Payment program, which helps skilled nursing facilities who have experienced losses or expenses due to COVID-19.

DHS will also provide $30 million to a skilled nursing post-acute care admission incentive program. The program works to cover cover the costs of staffing additional beds in nursing homes, which allows more residents to be admitted directly from a hospital and alleviating the strain on the hospital system.  DHS will also partner with the Department of Safety and Professional Services and the Department of Workforce Development to strengthen the existing efforts in Wisconsin’s health care and long-term care settings. The three departments will work to hire new and former health care workers in Wisconsin in settings where the need is greatest.

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