Statewide Iowa — A dozen Iowa nursing homes have closed in the past seven months for financial reasons.
Iowa Health Care Association president and CEO Brent Willet says like any industry, nursing homes face rising operating costs — but cannot raise daily and monthly rates because those are set by the government for Medicare and Medicaid patients.
Willet says it means families and patients seeking long term care have fewer options. At least 45 percent of Iowa nursing homes are limiting or freezing admissions due to a lack of staff according to a recent survey by Willet’s organization.
Willets made his comments during taping of “Iowa Press” which aired Friday on Iowa PBS.
