Pamela Adam letter: Nursing homes are in crisis

Nursing homes across Minnesota are in crisis—but the challenges are especially severe in rural communities like ours, where nearly 35% of nursing home beds have disappeared over the last two decades. That’s why I am deeply concerned about Gov. Tim Walz’s proposed $700 million in budget cuts to long-term care.

These cuts could be the final blow for many facilities already on the brink. At our facility alone, we stand to lose more than $1.5 million over the next four years if the Walz’s proposal is enacted.



We already operate on razor-thin margins. Cuts of this magnitude would force us to close additional beds, leaving vulnerable seniors with nowhere to go and their families scrambling for options. The consequences don’t stop there — closures also eliminate critical healthcare jobs in small towns that can’t afford to lose them.

I’ve worked in nursing homes for 40 years, from direct care to administration. I’ve seen firsthand how Minnesota’s value-based reimbursement system, enacted in 2015, has strengthened care and helped us raise staff wages by nearly 70%. Walking away from VBR now would be a step backward for seniors, caregivers, and the entire long-term care system.

Minnesota’s legislative leaders must act. They must reject these devastating cuts and commit to investing in long-term care — not just to preserve facilities, but to protect the people and communities who depend on them.]]>.