Maple Lawn pays half its county loan, hires home health care consultant
BRANCH COUNTY — The Maple Lawn Medical Care Facility board agreed Tuesday to repay half the $500,000 loan from the county's American Rescue Plan funds.
Board members also agreed to pay $23,000 to consultant Plante Moran for an analysis for starting a home health care service.
Administrator Jayne Sabaitis said on the loan, "I just feel it shows good faith that we're gonna pay it back."
The payment was made on Wednesday.
The county-owned nursing home borrowed $250,000 in April. Commissioners loaned another $250,000 in August because of cash flow issues caused by delays and the recapture of Medicaid funding from the state.
The board considered delaying repayment until the March due date in case revenues dropped.
The state paid Maple Lawn $982,769 owed them in October. Controller Jessica Worden told the board, "If you excluded that from our numbers, our net income would have been $195,803 for October."
Prior story Maple Lawn receives Medicaid settlement from state
The census was 94% of the 114-bed capacity for October.
Sabaitis said state Medicaid still owes Maple Lawn "another $244,000, coming sooner rather than later."
With ProMedica closing its home health services in Branch County, Maple Lawn explored adding the services.
Plante Moran will provide a complete business plan and financial analysis by the end of January.
Sabaitis told the board that the Medicaid rate increased significantly by $24 a day in October so that the facility will receive about $90,000 more per month.
Maple Lawn will consider providing home health care for its patients when sent home from the facility.
Chairman Paul Winbigler said, "We're gambling $23,000 to find out the potential."
Sabaitis said, "There is a gap in the market. All the service now comes from outside the county."
The director feels the program could operate with one additional nurse and therapist. Current staff could also cover services.
Prior story Maple Lawn will explore providing home health services in Branch County
One concern is Maple Lawn patients sent home without the proper care could end up back in the hospital.
The director said two-thirds of Maple Lawn's 265 discharges per year pre-COVID-19 received rehab or home health care. "They could choose another home health care, but we would give them a choice," she said.
Staff from Maple Lawn would be familiar with their medical issues.
Home health care services can run from several days to months. Some insurance pays part of the cost in advance, the director explained.
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"I think we could break even quite easily and make a little bit of money out of it." Sabaitis said
— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Maple Lawn Medicaid home health care ARPA Branch County loan
