New OpEd in @washingtonpost

@ml_barnett and I discuss the COVID-19 crisis in nursing homes and how our historic underinvestment in nursing homes has magnified the problem. We're getting what we paid for. We assert it is time for a change. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/04/16/covid-19-is-ravaging-nursing-homes-were-getting-what-we-paid/

Toll of COVID-19 in nursing homes is staggering. NH residents are 0.4% of US popn but account for at least 22% of COVID deaths. NHs are in all-out lockdown. Visitors are banned, communal dining/events are canceled. Staff lack protective gear & some have simply quit given risk 2/

Nursing homes have always survived on a tenuous business model. They must admit enough profitable short-stay Medicare patients to subsidize unprofitable long-stay Medicaid residents. With COVID-19, many NHs are not accepting new Medicare pts without COVID-19 testing in place 3/

COVID-19 has revealed this flawed business model. Nursing homes will get short-term relief from stimulus package. However, this is a good time to reconsider how we pay for long-stay nursing home care in this country. 4/

Ideas to reform Medicaid nursing home payment include increasing programs that integrate Medicare-Medicaid and potentially even federalizing Medicaid for NH residents. Regardless of mechanism, we need to pay a fair price for long-stay nursing home care in this country. END/