Questions about the Wayne Co. Care Center
Letter to the Editor,
The Wayne County Care Center had a layoff (11-of-60 employees) in September. The November 2023 levy passed, and it was intended for salaries, according to the meeting I had with the count commissioners before it passed. That levy gives the home $1,930,000 a year.
I met with the commissioners again on Sept. 17 to inquire about the layoff. They told me they lost $1,000,000 in 2023. This is difficult to understand because they receive Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance or cash for each patient, just like all other nursing homes in the county. The other nursing homes pay real estate taxes and make a profit; the county home does not pay real estate taxes, and they must be subsidized. Is that logical?
The commissioners held a meeting for family and friends of patients on Sept. 17. I attended that meeting; there were about 40 people in attendance. There were many questions from upset people. The commissioners called a break at 7:20 p.m. However, the meeting was never reconvened, and there were many people, including me, who still had questions.
The commissioners haven't acted yet on the governor's offer to pay for private rooms for Medicaid patients nor Medicare's decision to require a direct care RN around the clock 24/7 beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
My questions are: Why wasn't the public invited to the Sept. 17 meeting? Where will they get the funds for the lost million in 2023? How will they pay salaries in 2027 when they have the added cost of RNs around the clock?
There are only 14 certified county nursing homes in Ohio. That should tell you county nursing homes are unnecessary. I suggest they either establish a board to help them operate the home, repurpose the home or lease it to a company that knows how to operate one.
Ella Kick
Wooster