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Rural rest homes in danger of closing due to inability to cover operating costs
"We want to make sure that we continue to have facilities like this one," Dr. Rios-Ybarra said. "And that everyone has access to health care." The Texas Health Care Association (THCA) reports that Texas ranks 49 in the U.S. for Medicaid reimbursements to health care facilities, according to Leticia Caballero, the organization's director of governmental relations. "It's time for the legislature to prioritize, and take care of our oldest, sickest, and poorest citizens," Caballero said. "Rest homes in Texas get an average reimbursement of only $106/ day per patient, as compared to a national average of $154/ day." "If there is no increase; then we'll likely see some rural facilities close," Caballero added. Last year, rest homes were 19 percent under their costs, according to a Texas legislative study. Forty percent of the Medicaid supplement is paid by Texas, and 60 percent by the federal government. During a tour of Retama Manor, Rios-Ybarra said she is in favor of increasing the Medicaid reimbursement. "The ideal would be for facilities to cover their costs," Rios Ybarra said. "I want to ensure that our rural areas don't get affected by the loss of places like this," referring to Retama Manor. One Retama Manor visitor, Guadalupe "Chunkie" Martinez, said everyone was very happy that Dr. Tara Rios-Ybarra took the time to come to visit them. "I'm really glad she came here - Escobar never did. We all enjoyed her visit," said Martinez, referring to Rep. Juan Escobar (D-Kingsville), who lost reelection. "She said she would try to help us, and I believe her." Dale Whitfield, the administrator of Retama Manor, said that it's time for both the general public and the legislature to be aware of our (funding) dilemma. "We need to enhance the care that we give here," Whitfield said. "We would love to offer more activities for the elderly, give them better meals, and increase the overall quality of services we provide to our residents." Whitfield is very proud of his staff and the work they do at Retama Manor, but is also concerned about staff turnover. "We're now competing for staff with the prisons - It was just the hospitals and other rest homes," said Whitfield, referring to increasing staff salaries. "We need to remember that the elderly are the people that took care of us - Now it's time to take care of them." Caballero and Whitfield said that rest homes could improve and spruce up their facilities if the legislature granted another increase to the Medicaid reimbursement. Dr. Rios-Ybarra said she plans to visit every rest home in the district that she hopes to be elected to in November. Her only opponent is Maj. Richard P. Shuey (USAF-Ret), who is the Libertarian Party's candidate for the seat that runs north from So. Padre Island to Kingsville, and then over to Jim Hogg County. Shuey was not invited to tour Retama Manor by the THCA, but was asked to comment on the rest home funding dilemma in Texas. He was at the Libertarian Convention in Austin, and said he would comment later.
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