Illinois lawmakers approve incentivizing nursing home quality with more funding

[April 12, 2022]  By Andrew Hensel | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – A measure meant to help improve nursing homes across the state by incentivizing higher staffing levels and quality improvements at facilities will soon be sent to Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

House Bill 246 would inject more than $700 million from state and federal tax funds annually into Medicaid-funded nursing homes to reform the facilities by offering a number of incentives for safe staffing. The measure also includes a pay raise for certified nursing assistants.

More than $300 million would be used as incentive payments for nursing homes to increase their staffing levels up to or beyond certain target levels.

State Sen. Ann Gillespie, D-Arlington Heights, sponsored the measure in the Senate and said she has worked on the bill for several years.

"The bill does several things to reform the way that rates are paid in nursing homes to drive greater accountability into the system," Gillespie said. "The bill includes a staffing incentive which now requires nursing homes to meet."

The bill passed the Senate and the House unanimously.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker applauded the bill's passage.

State Sen. Ann Gillespie, D-Arlington Heights, speaks at a news in conference in Springfield on Monday, May 31, 2021.
Courtesy of BlueRoomStream

“For 45,000 vulnerable seniors in nursing homes across the state, the passage of HB 246 will mean improved care and accountability in the places they call home," Pritzker said in a statement. "For the first time, increased funding for nursing homes will be tied to staffing levels at these facilities, ensuring new funds go directly to improving care for our seniors instead of profit for owners and allowing us to hold bad actors accountable."

Pritzker called the bill a joint effort between many different groups.

"This legislation is the product of more than a year of hard work led by my Department of Healthcare and Family Services along with our partners in the General Assembly, stakeholders, and industry leaders," Pritzker said. "I applaud their work to protect our seniors and the leadership of Senator Gillespie and [state Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin] to move this bill forward in the General Assembly.”

The state plans to use the "bed tax," which taxes each bed in a nursing home, to help pay for the increased spending. If signed by the governor, the measure would go into effect immediately.

Andrew Hensel has years of experience as a reporter and pre-game host for the Joliet Slammers, and as a producer for the Windy City Bulls. A graduate of Iowa Wesleyan University and Illinois Media School, Andrew lives in the south suburbs of Chicago.