Pritzker signs bill to improve nursing homes in Illinois

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The governor signed House Bill 246, better known as the Nursing Home Rate Reform Bill, into law Tuesday afternoon in Chicago. The bill plans to bring more than $700 million dollars each year to Medicaid-funded nursing homes across the state to help increase staffing levels and improve the quality of care.

The bill will reward Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) with at least one year of experience with a $1.50 raise, with Medicaid paying their share of the increase. The first-year increase will be followed by a $1 raise each year for six years for a maximum pay increase of $6.50 per hour

Pritzker believes the new incentives will lead to more people working in nursing homes, which could in turn lead to better care for seniors over time.

“Today we take a giant leap forward in delivering the care, dignity, and respect that our valued seniors deserve,” Pritzker said at a news conference Tuesday. “We are investing more than $700 million in Medicaid funding toward an equity-driven staffing model, a standard that rewards higher-quality care.”

https://wgntv.com/news/illinois/pritzker-signs-bill-to-improve-nursing-homes-in-illinois/