DHS Names Baker Tilly for Study of Wisconsin LTC Industry
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has named Baker Tilly as the organization that will conduct a market study of the long-term care (LTC) industry in Wisconsin. As
previously reported in
The Valued Voice, in its “Request for Services,” DHS described the three components and requirements of the study:
- Retrospective analysis. Conduct a root-cause analysis of challenges in cost and reimbursement structure, labor shortages, operational impediments, and meeting federal and state quality assurance standards.
- Prospective analysis. Forecast the future state of the long-term care industry to determine consumers’ preferences for long-term care in the next five to ten years, and whether Wisconsin’s LTC industry is positioned to meet these needs.
- Recommendations. Develop a set of recommendations for both the public and private sector to position the LTC industry as strongly as possible for the future.
DHS also asked for the study to identify the barriers that exist to an effective transfer of patients from acute to post-acute care and to include a number of public and private sector recommendations, such as:
- Changes, if any, the State should consider to the Medicaid nursing home rate-setting formula and other rate-setting formulae necessary to maintain an appropriate level of access to meet future demand for the level of care.
- Changes, if any, the State should consider to the regulatory structure to ensure the LTC sector can meet future demand for services and maintain standards for residential safety and independence.
- How LTC providers can best address complex care needs such as dementia, complex behavioral health, and the medically fragile in the community and in facilities.
- Strategies LTC providers employ to address labor shortages (e.g., What changes should LTC providers consider for recruitment and wage packages, with the focus on turnover reduction and retention).
WHA President and CEO Eric Borgerding noted, “At the national level, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a report in April 2022 saying that wide-ranging systemic changes are needed in the nursing home industry in order to meet the needs of residents, families and staff. While that report is helpful, we’re pleased DHS is taking on a Wisconsin-specific examination of the issues. We look forward to working with DHS and Baker Tilly on this study.”