Late Medicare pay may close Bethalto nursing home

Jul. 23--BETHALTO -- The owner of a Bethalto nursing home on Monday said it may have to shut the doors because Illinois has not made its Medicaid payments.

Linda Daniels, owner and administrator of Bethalto Care Center at 815 S. Prairie St., said they are giving residents of the 98-bed facility 30-day notices to vacate because they cannot meet payroll without the state's Medicaid payment.

On Monday, relatives of residents at the facility said they had been told the residents had to be removed that day, then were told they did not have to move them imediately.

Daniels said that was incorrect, but she did say residents were giving 30-day notices.

"We got no payment for Medicaid, and that's what pays this payday for my staff," Daniels said. "We'd have to close if I don't have staff. If I don't have staff, I can't run."

"We waited until the last minute. It (the Medicaid payment) very well may come today," she said, noting the checks were due "a while back."

She declined additional comment, saying they had to keep telephone lines open because of calls from residents' relatives.

A spokesman for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services early Monday afternoon said he would look into the situation.

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