$8.1 Million Funding Increase Helped Prevent Nursing Home Closures, Serious Cuts Across New Mexico

CARLSBAD - Governor Susana Martinez visited Lakeview Christian Home in Carlsbad earlier today to meet with staff and residents and discuss the importance of increased Medicaid funding for nursing homes provided in the Fiscal Year 2013 state budget. Along with other New Mexico nursing homes, Lakeview faced the possibility of dramatically cutting care and services as a result of federal Medicare cuts. However, Governor Martinez's budget proposal included $8.1 million in increased Medicaid funding for nursing facilities in order to prevent closures and cutbacks in services. That funding was approved by the legislature and included in the final budget that the Governor signed into law last month.

"I'm proud that we were able to come together in a bipartisan fashion in order to protect some of our most vulnerable," said Governor Martinez. "New Mexicans in nursing homes deserve the best care and services we can give them."

According to Lakeview Christian Home, 76 percent of its residents rely on Medicaid to pay for their nursing care. Lakeview has taken a number of measures to avoid reductions in care, including doing away with salary increases for employees, but will be able to use increased Medicaid funding from this year's budget to continue to provide necessary services to their residents.

"We are extremely grateful that Governor Martinez included a funding increase for nursing facilities in her budget," said Jody Knox, CEO of Lakeview Christian Home. "As our costs have increased, it has become more and more difficult to provide the quality of care that our residents deserve. The $8.1 million increase in Medicaid funding for nursing homes will help to ensure that we keep our doors open, maintain staff levels, and provide appropriate services to those who need them."