As he neared the end of his life in 2011, Philip Flynn was at peace that his wife, Dolores, would be taken care of.
The two had married in 1947 after Flynn returned home from serving in the Army during World War II. They settled into a life in Sioux Falls that would yield 10 children. It was a modest life: Flynn had a knack for sales and worked a road warrior’s life in his Midwest territory. He’d be gone weekdays and home on the weekends. He retired from Double H Boot Co.
During his career, he quietly saved up enough money to pay for retirement while also generously donating to charity, says daughter Mary Flynn Brende. Her father believed in self-sufficiency, which is why he set up a series of annuities to pay for retirement. Those annuities have allowed Dolores to stay off of Medicaid, the government program that pays for nursing home care for poor adults.
“He would be mortified if mom went on Medicaid,” Brende said. “That’s why he set up those accounts.”
But a change in billing at Good Samaritan Village, where Dolores Flynn resides, makes it more likely that she will end up on Medicaid. Starting in January, The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society began charging private pay residents in skilled nursing facilities a flat daily charge for “ancillary products.” The $6.50 charge applies only to private pay residents and not residents whose bills are paid by Medicaid because the government won’t pay for products that its residents don’t use.
The ancillary products are about 18 items that residents might need. They include supplies for incontinence, over the counter medicines, such as Tylenol, and supplies for nebulizers, oxygen, bandages, vitamins and protective wear.
In a statement, Nate Schema, Good’s Samaritan Society’s vice president of operations, said the decision flattened rates for the items for private pay residents in all skilled nursing facilities.
“As a result, some residents experienced an increase to their overall charges, while many others received a decrease,” Schema said. “Overall, this gives staff more time to focus on our number one priority, which is providing care, support and services to residents, and less time tracking supplies and filing paperwork. We are committed to communicating with residents and their families before making any changes to payment or billing processes.”
For Brende, who first learned about the new billing when her mother came off of hospice care in June, it’s a definite charge increase. What items her mother did use from the ancillary list, Brende said she provided at a cost of about $50 a month. Her mother’s over-the-counter medicine had been billed through a long-term care insurance benefit at Lewis Drug. Now she’s paying $200 a month.
“For my mom, it’s just not a fair, equitable way to do things,” she said.
Before moving to Good Sam in 2017, Dolores lived at Touchmark at All Saints. Brende said that facility didn't bill for ancillary services, and she could bring her mother supplies.
The extra money adds up, especially when monthly room and board is already close to $9,000. Now 91, Dolores Flynn is in her 17th year of care. She currently lives in an Alzheimer’s unit. Brende said she recently had to cash out the final annuity that had been purchased years earlier by her father. She’s hoping that lasts as long as possible. After that, it’s Medicaid.
“I figure now, with this last annuity, I figured I’d have at least two, two and half years,” Brende said.
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Billing change at Good Sam means residents who forego Medicaid pay $6.50 extra a day - Argus Leader
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