In March, the state got some federal funds to help nursing homes weather COVID-19. Nursing facilities received the money for six months -- until the state pulled back the funds. What happened? See thread
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2/ The state's nursing homes were already struggling prior to the pandemic, with the highest disparity between Medicaid reimbursement and cost of care in the country.

3/ Extra costs like PPE and paying staff to work at a nursing home during COVID-19 have been "astronomical," said one nursing home operator in Mount Vernon.

4/ Skilled nursing facilities got special emergency funds from the federal government added to their daily reimbursement rates for Medicaid patients, which provided a lifeline at a time when centers were battling outbreaks.

5/ Nursing homes were supposed to get a second round of the federal emergency funds, but that money never made it to them.

6/ State agencies contacted for this story said what happened was "complicated." Those federal dollars are technically going to nursing homes, but the state is using the $$ to cover part of its share of Medicaid reimbursement it pays to facilities.

7/ The state says it did this as part of cuts across all areas of the budget and "belt tightening."

8/ Those in the industry say that the state's rerouting of the money has cut nursing home funds by 80% since June, with COVID-19 cases still climbing.

9/ "It's very clear that if (the state) wanted to provide relief for COVID, they would," said Robin Dale, CEO of the Washington Health Care Association.

10/ The funding cut puts more nursing homes at risk of closure, say those in the industry. Twenty four have already closed since 2017, according to data from the association.

Thanks @Evan_SCN at @StanCamNEWS for collaborating on this story with me last week!