A projected 25% cut in Medicaid provider payments could go into effect June 1 and elderly Oklahomans will be hit hardest in a state already ranked as worst in the country for healthcare access.
So the big question is…what can we do to help offset these budget cuts?
The Oklahoma Association of Health Care Providers said the cuts would likely leave more than 90% of the state’s nursing homes operating at a loss and in danger of closing.
In a recent article in the Tulsa World, it states about 16,800 elderly and disabled patients are at risk of being displaced from their nursing homes. About 70 percent of the total nursing home population in the state utilizes Medicaid. The current average loss on state nursing homes per Medicaid patient is about $14 a day, said executive director Rebecca Moore. With a 25 percent rate reduction, the Medicaid rate to providers becomes about 65 percent of what Medicare providers receive for health-care services. Moore has been reaching out to the association members to see how they are preparing.
While there are no easy answers, or solutions, there are some resources available to help cut costs and provide efficiencies. “Medication management is a way to not only cut cost, but will also help with efficiencies in some homes who have to reduce staff,” said Clay Bullard, President of PGx Medical. “When you have a nursing home that has reduced staff due to budget cuts, you still have the same issues or behavioral problems, now you have less staff to deal with those problems so it becomes a cascading problem.”
Metabolic Validation, via pharmacogenomics is an evidence based test to help guide healthcare professionals when dosing medication. Since it is a once-in-a-lifetime test, it actually helps cut costs by reducing unnecessary medications, while also being a roadmap for any future medications. This eliminates the “trial and error” process and helps prevent falls and re-hospitalizations which can be very costly. This test isn’t only for the resident, it also helps with staff efficiencies. “By getting residents on the right medications, you save time and money. “This isn’t the end-all, tell-all,” said Bullard, but it is a resource that is available that isn’t being utilized in a lot of nursing homes across Oklahoma.”
Why should we test?
To help aid your healthcare providers with current medication regimens and be a roadmap for future prescribing. This once-in-a-lifetime test guides providers in making actionable clinical decisions by optimizing resident medications. This can reduce the overall cost of resident care by minimizing adverse events and provide residents with a better quality of life.
Adverse reactions attributable to prescription drug use cause an estimated 100,000 deaths and more than two million serious reactions in the United States each year, costing the healthcare industry more than $136 billion annually.
Is it affordable?
Pharmacogenomics was designed to be a Long Term Care medication management tool and is available, at no cost to the community or the residents with applicable medical necessity, for residents with Medicare B.
How do we implement it into our home?
Simply contact PGx Medical, info@pgxmed.com or 405-509-5112. We will be happy to help educate and implement the program into your home.
The Metabolic Validation Program is more then just a swab of the cheek. PGx Medical has a team of consultants who will educate your staff and help implement the program into your home. “This is an ongoing program,” said Bullard. Our team works alongside your staff each step of the way. By managing a residents medications you can improve quality of care not only for the resident, but also for the staff. All of a sudden, residents with behavioral issues aren’t a problem any longer when you have them on medications they are able to receive therapy from, and you can reduce cost by eliminating unnecessary medications. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
PGx Medical
info@pgxmed.com
405-509-5112
Sources: modern healthcare.com, tulsaworld.com, OAHCP