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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Oahu Home Healthcare said it will shut down this month, leaving just eight at-home healthcare providers to serve Oahu’s growing senior population.
“Many of these facilities have waiting lists. Now, with this facility shutting down, how are those people going to be placed?” said Kealii Lopez, AARP state director.
“Those people now need to be placed with other facilities, which are already overflowing.”
The company said its closure is due to increased costs brought on by Medicaid reimbursement changes and the statewide labor shortage.
According to the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, job vacancies at its membership companies are at around 39%.
Oahu Home Healthcare says it has about 100 patients ― mostly seniors on Medicaid.
Forty will be placed with competing providers and another 40 will be discharged from its services.
Industry officials are helping to place the remaining patients at other facilities.
The AARP said legislation is needed to increase reimbursement rates.
“We’re hoping this legislative session that the Legislature and the governor are (also) going to look at how to increase the workforce,” said Lopez.
Copyright 2023 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
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