Maple Lawn shows some financial improvements as it adds staff

BRANCH COUNTY — Maple Lawn Nursing Facility continues to operate in the black in 2023.

Because of an early February board meeting, the county-owned facility did not have current financials. However, Controller Jessica Worden told the board Feb. 9 there was $542,000 cash on hand to meet expenses.

“We're doing much better with our cash situation at the moment,” she said.

The Branch County Commission authorized Maple Lawn to borrow up to $1 million in American Rescue Plan funds to cover cash flow to keep paying employees and expenses.

Administrator Jayne Sabaitis has not needed that money, as the facility waits for $3.6 million in federal COVID-19 Employee Retention Credits.

The facility accountant did not file amended tax returns until October to claim the money. The check is not expected until fall.

Sabaitis said patient census rose to 98 currently, an increase over the 85 in 2022. That gives the facility more income. Capacity was reduced because of staffing issues and other limitations during the COVID-19 pandemic from the maximum 114 beds.

“Staffing is restricting us from opening all of our beds. So, I think we're looking at around 103 beds that we'll be able to staff, but that might be a little bit high,” Sabaitis said, adding that a number of people on a waiting list were admitted or transferred into Maple Lawn.

“I'm thrilled to report that number and hope that we can keep it there,” Sabaitis said.

The center must be at least at 85% capacity to receive Medicare reimbursement.

Maple Lawn continues to sponsor students in area classes as Certified Nursing Assistants, however, Sabaitis said there is staff turnover. Maple Lawn continues to seeks CNAs as well as licensed practical nurses and registered nurses, upping its pay scale in the past several months.

The board voted to continue to pay all employees a $2.37 per hour supplement authorized by the state for direct care workers through Sept. 30 when the program is scheduled to end.

The state reimburses nursing care facilities the extra hourly stipend paid for direct care workers, CNAs, LPNs, and RNs along with respiratory therapists.

The Maple Lawn broad approved the increased pay for all its workers.

“Even though the state of Michigan, when they defined the direct care worker who would receive the money, didn't take into consideration what all departments do in a nursing facility,” Sabaitis explained.

All workers provide some direct care benefit to the residents.

Physical therapy and even those in dining provide services they can be considered direct patient care at times. Maple Lawn has 106 who are defined as direct care by the state but also employees 80 who are not.

Sabaitis reported a number of nursing care groups are lobbying state government to expand the definition and to extend the program beyond Oct. 1.

Sabaitis told her board: “I really feel that we've made some really good progress as far as where our revenues are going. Hopefully that's not a temporary thing.”

The administrator was concerned about removing non-direct employees from the supplement hourly pay program. 

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“Leave it alone at this point because if we lose a number of staff, it's going to cost way more money to replace those people. It is going to have an impact on care,” Sabaitis said. The board agreed.

Sabaitis went to the Branch County Commission last summer with a financial crisis. Because the census during COVID-19 dropped, Maple Lawn received $874,976 in excess state payments based on prior patient counts.

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The state wanted a refund last fall but delayed the recapture to allow the facility to continue operating.

At request of the Maple Lawn board, county commissioners in a 3-2 vote put a .99 mill five-year property tax levy on the November ballot. Voters turned down the assessment by a 3-2 margin.

— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DReidTDR.

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Maple Lawn shows some financial improvements as it adds staff