Connecticut dedicates additional $31.2 million to nursing homes’ coronavirus response

Gov. Ned Lamont’s office announced Wednesday afternoon that the state is committing an additional $31.2 million to the state’s nursing homes, in an effort to help the facilities protect their residents against COVID-19.

The newly announced funding is intended to offset nursing homes’ added costs during the pandemic, which range from increased staffing to the purchase of personal protective equipment. The funding will be available to homes that follow the state’s coronavirus guidelines, which include conducting supplemental testing, cohorting residents and incentivizing staff to work in only one facility at a time.

“Taken together, we believe these measures will make a significant impact in increasing protection of our most vulnerable family, friends and neighbors during care at skilled nursing facilities,” said Dr. Deidre Gifford, the state’s acting public health commissioner, in a release.

The newly announced funding is also in addition to $60 million made available to nursing homes through the Coronavirus Relief Fund and more than $94 million already spent on testing in nursing homes, Office of Policy and Management Secretary Melissa McCaw said in a release.

The funding will roll out in two phases.

The first phase, which is retroactive for the months of November and December, consists of $20.8 million — or a Medicaid rate increase of 10% — from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund.

The first phase also includes a deferral of the recovery of previous payments, which total $23.4 million, and a commitment from the state to continue funding resident and staff testing through the end of March.

The second phase of the newly announced funding will rollout over January and February and consists of a total of $10.4 million — or a Medicaid rate increase of 5% for both of the months.

“The costs of combatting the virus remain high and it is essential we give the facilities the resources they need,” Lamont said in a release.

Emily Brindley can be reached at ebrindley@courant.com.

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