Article on Samaritan from West Bend Daily News

About 4 weeks ago I had a good conversation with Brianna from the Daily News about Samaritan Campus.  Last Saturday she wrote up an article about our conversation for the Newspaper.


I have highlighted in yellow a correct, where the newspaper accidentally misquoted me.  The newspaper article stated that I wanted to maximize costs, which is absurd.  Ironically, in the next sentence I talk about being cost effective.  I have corrected that phrase to what I think I must have said (based on my memory 4 weeks later of the conversation).




WEST BEND - The coronavirus may be the top issue on people’s minds now, but there are other challenges facing the county. Senior care is one of these challenges, including the government’s role in helping aged residents who cannot afford to pay out of pocket but require medical assistance.

As the former human resources director for a few assisted living facilities, Washington County Board District 3 Supervisor Chris Bossert has some knowledge of the industry and understands the challenges.

At the core is funding, with Samaritan Health Center and others accepting Medicaid exemplifying the tough decision. Medicare does not cover longterm care services, and in Wisconsin, the Medicaid waiver model covers some services but not room and board. Many senior care businesses have to decide between helping those in greatest need at a financial loss or turning those away to stay profitable.

For now, Samaritan’s current cost model is able to afford Medicaid residents, although the government reimbursement is low. By accepting Medicare, the facility, in this case Samaritan, receives a fraction of the payment from the state and has to look elsewhere to recoup the rest.

“It partly involves using the independent and assisted living projects’ proceeds that are beyond operating costs to help supplement the skilled nursing facility operations,” Bossert said. “We need to look at ways to maximize reimbursements and be able to get more reimbursement from Medicare to help out, maybe looking at staffing ratios and making sure we have correct proportions that are cost-effective.”

More of a bubble

Long-term funding will be difficult if the present health care shortage continues without any increase in financial assistance from the state or federal government. And neither are committing to greater contributions, Bossert said.

“We’re in a period of peak employment, so competing for skilled, quality staff is challenging, and the cost of staffing is going up at a far quicker pace than the Medicare reimbursements are,” he said.

Many look at the baby boomers and see a fast approaching influx of seniors needing care. This group will be larger than in the recent past and will require adjustments. But Bossert sees it not as a sharp incline, but a wave.

“Looking at 30 years from now, after the baby boomer bubble passes, the need will decrease,” he said, “so if we build for the short term and don’t look at the long term, in 30 or 40 years we might have a half-empty facility.”

Working with consultants is key, Bossert said, to make sure both short and long term needs are considered.

Independent review of Samaritan

An independent review of Samaritan is underway to help the County Board determine if an expansion or reduction is needed, and until this information is presented, Bossert said he is keeping an open mind. He is encouraging residents to share their thoughts on the matter, and many have expressed an interest in supporting Samaritan.

“Being in county government, there is an expectation we will provide a little bit of a safety net for those who have exhausted their 401K, or didn’t work for an employer who provided a guaranteed pension,” he said. “For some people, when money runs out and their health starts to decline and they need a higher level of care, there is an expectation the government won’t just tell them they’re on their own.”

There is a limit to this, he said; it must be viable and able to fit within a balanced budget.

“We have to do this in a way that’s fiscally prudent to the taxpayers,” Bossert said. “Ideally the amount of taxpayer money you want to waste is zero dollars; it should be a meaningful investment.”

But to keep Samaritan open, health and safety needs are pressing. There are problems with the air conditioning, requiring a temporary unit on site in summer to ensure safe climate control. The elderly are more sensitive to climate issues, Bossert said, and this can be potentially life-threatening. So if the 53-year-old facility is not rebuilt, it needs a new air system and the original generator must be replaced.

“In terms of construction, it needs to significantly improve quality of care, or I’d lean toward a different plan that sticks to the essential issues,” he said.