[Madison, WI] – State Representative Calvin Callahan (R-Tomahawk) released the following statement regarding the reduction in revenue to county-owned Pine Crest Nursing Home in Merrill and others around the state by Governor Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS):
“Pine Crest has served the Merrill and surrounding communities for more than 60 years and it is extremely unfortunate that the Lincoln County Board has been placed in the situation of having to consider options that would include selling this facility. This has been created by a substantial loss in funding in the Medicaid Supplemental Payment program by Gov. Evers’s Administration. While the Administration has created budget deficits at Pine Crest and many other county-run nursing homes across the state, Rock and Dane County nursing homes now have budget surpluses. In fact, 23 county-run nursing homes had a $16,413,500 total reduction in revenue, while Rock County received $2,168,200 and Dane County received $7,281,600. Once again, even on as simple an issue as elder care, the governor has cast aside the rest of the state and placed his focus on southern Wisconsin.
“10 Wisconsin nursing homes closed in 2022 and two have already closed in 2023. Pine Crest has requested $1.2 million dollars from the $15 million that Lincoln County levies from local taxpayers to make up the shortfall created by the Evers Administration. As one can imagine, this would be unsustainable and fiscally irresponsible for the Board to pass. Unfortunately, the same thing is happening in other counties across Wisconsin. Does the governor care about what is happening to these communities up North? It certainly doesn’t appear so. It is my hope that the Administration looks into this and changes direction before it is too late.”
