Seventy-five percent of Connecticut”™s 224 nursing homes ”“ three dozen of them in Fairfield County ”“ will have their Medicare reimbursements reduced in 2019 as a result of high readmission rates.
Medicare is for the first time punishing or rewarding nursing homes based upon how many of their residents are readmitted to hospitals for conditions that could have been prevented. It has taken a similar approach with hospitals since 2013.
Nationwide, the federal program is cutting reimbursements to almost 11,000 nursing homes next year and presenting bonuses to about 4,000 such facilities.
Within the county, nursing homes in Norwalk, Shelton, Stratford, Trumbull and Wilton are receiving Medicare”™s highest penalty, a 1.98 percent reduction on each resident’s Medicare payment.
Those being penalized are Bethel Health Care Center (-1.24 percent); Bridgeport”™s Northbridge Health Care Center (-1.81 percent), Jewish Senior Services (-1.74 percent), and Bridgeport Health Care Center (-1.95 percent); Danbury”™s Glen Hill Rehabilitation & Nursing Center (-1.8 percent), Saint John Paul II Center (-1.59 percent), Filosa Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center (-1.28 percent) and Western Rehabilitation Care Center (-.08 percent); and Fairfield”™s Cambridge Health and Rehabilitation Center (-1.96 percent), Ludlowe Center for Health and Rehabilitation (-1.91 percent) and Carolton Chronic Convalescent (-1.53 percent).
Also incurring penalties are Greenwich”™s Regalcare (-1.82 percent), Greenwich Woods Rehabilitation & Health Care Center (-1.17 percent) and Nathaniel Witherell (-0.17 percent); New Canaan”™s Waveny Care Center (-0.91 percent); Newtown”™s Masonicare (-1.96 percent); Norwalk”™s Notre Dame Convalescent Home (-1.98 percent), Autumn Lake Healthcare (-1.91 percent) and Cassena Care (-1.88 percent); Shelton”™s Hewitt Health & Rehabilitation Center (-1.98 percent), Bishop Wicke (-1.49 percent), Apple Rehab Shelton Lakes (-1.29 percent) and Gardner Heights (-1.26 percent).
Others seeing reductions are Southport”™s Regalcare (-1.28 percent); Stamford”™s Villa at Stamford (-1.95 percent), Edgehill Health Center (-1.95 percent), St. Camillus Center (-0.98 percent) and Cassena Care (-0.17 percent); Stratford”™s Lord Chamberlain Manor and Lord Chamberlain Nursing & Rehabilitation (both -1.98 percent); Trumbull”™s St. Joseph”™s Center (-1.98 percent) and Maefair Health Care Center (-0.51 percent); West Redding”™s Meadow Ridge (-1.62 percent); Westport”™s Westport Rehabilitation Complex (-0.51 percent); and Wilton”™s Lourdes Health Care Center (-0.94 percent) and Wilton Meadows Health Center (-1.98 percent).
Receiving bonuses are Bridgeport”™s Bridgeport Manor (0.25 percent) and The Watermark at 3030 Park (0.87 percent); Danbury”™s Hancock Hall (0.36 percent); Ridgefield”™s Laurel Ridge Health Care Center (1.53 percent); and Stamford”™s Long Ridge Post-Acute Care (0.44 percent).