Thursday afternoon, Joe Rude with Health Management Services signed the lease documents to take over the nursing home. The name has been changed to Saratoga Care Center.
Rude’s company won’t officially take over until June 1 and in the meantime, the Wyoming Department of Health (DOH) will continue as the temporary manager.
When the DOH took over the facility May 8 at 3 p.m., the future of the nursing home appeared dismal as residents were being moved to other nursing homes.
Kim Deti, information officer for the DOH, said the DOH had to suspend the license held by Deseret Health and Rehab before assuming temporary management. At that time, the DOH covered the payroll of those working at the nursing home.
Three hours before DOH announced they were assuming temporary management, the Corbett Medical Foundation had an emergency meeting and voted to cover Deseret’s payroll checks that went through The Rawlins National Bank, according to Corbett Medical Foundation Chairman, Mike Glode. (See story on page 2).
When the license for Deseret was suspended, it allowed the DOH to divert Medicaid funds, which is the primary source of income for the nursing home, to the DOH. This allowed the DOH to cover the paychecks for all of the employees, not just the ones who were banking at Rawlins National Bank.
Because DOH did not want to make all the employees at the nursing home temporary state employees, they are using a temporary hiring agency to pay and employ the staff, Deti said.
When asked if Medicaid expansion would have made any difference in this case, Deti said no.
Deti explained that Medicaid expansion covers those not already covered by Medicaid and most of the residents were covered by Medicaid, private pay or Medicare. Medicaid covers the aged, blind or disabled residents, Deti said. The Medicaid expansion option is for low income childless adults.
Medicare is a federal health insurance which covers the public when they reach of the age of eligibility, but only covers nursing home stays of less than 100 days.
Deti said the DOH is paying a higher level of Medicaid to help during the transition because the population is so low at the Saratoga Care Center. It will appear that the facility is moving ahead financially during that period, Deti said. “We expect to continue on our part to operate the facility and do what we can to support it,” Deti said.
“We know it has been tough (for those involved),” Deti said. “We are trying to focus on our priorities which is the residents’ health and safety.”
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