The current round of applications for nursing home moratorium exceptions has closed, and MDH recently informed LeadingAge Minnesota that eight nursing homes submitted proposals for this round.

A review committee will hear the proposals in February, and the MDH commissioner will announce the approved projects by April 10, 2024.

We are pleased that many providers are interested in making much-needed building improvements by accessing the funding the legislature approved a few years ago. The proposed projects are below, and all but one are LeadingAge MN members:

Nursing Home Name	City
Augustana Chapel View	Hopkins
Aurora on France	Edina
Catholic Eldercare on Main	Minneapolis
Ebenezer Ridges	Burnsville
Knute Nelson	Alexandria
MN Masonic Home	Bloomington
Pelican Valley Senior Living	Pelican Rapids
Sacred Heart Care Center	Austin

The next step is for DHS to review these proposals and determine their cost to the state. With just under $5 million in state Medicaid funds available this round, it appears virtually certain that all of these projects can be approved.

Under the nursing facility property rate system, a moratorium exception approval allows the provider to have their entire property rate calculated based on a rental value formula adopted by the 2019 Legislature. That formula is more straightforward and tends to produce a better rate than the old system, so between that and the ongoing funding commitment from the 2021 Legislature, the moratorium exceptions process has become an essential and effective tool for upgrading and replacing nursing homes across the state.

Another round of funding will be available in 2024 without any additional legislative action, and the odds of approval in that round will also be good for nursing homes considering applying.