A state agency Thursday stalled an obscure nursing home rate hike that lawmakers pushed through during the 2014 General Assembly session.
The decision came a day after the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the rate increase for select homes would cost $26 million a year and reward some major political backers of Gov. Nathan Deal and state lawmakers.
The Department of Community Health board was scheduled to approve the rate hike Thursday for nursing home owners who bought facilities between Jan. 1, 2012 and June 30.
DCH Commissioner Clyde Reese said he pulled the rate increase from consideration in part because of concerns raised by DCH board members.
However, Reese said the idea behind the change - to more quickly help reimburse nursing home owners for upgrades they make - “has merit,” so DCH will study the issue in coming months.
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