STOP THE SALE OF PINE CREST
One year ago, People for Pine Crest brought to light what was in store for the Pine Crest Nursing home. Our county, our future became the mantra as they began investigating the arguments for selling Pine Crest and what they have since learned.
Selling Pine Crest is not in the best interests of the county and there are other options. Although the Medicaid reimbursement rate is low, People for Pine Crest found that while digging into the financials, that Pine Crest was not losing money as the county was trying to say. In fact, Lincoln County was going to give a potential out of state buyer $2 million dollars. Yes, that’s right, two million dollars to an out-of-state corporation to lease an additional building with the sale!
So, what do you need to know about nursing homes? Wisconsin is facing a Silver Tsunami. The median age of residents in north central Wisconsin is nearly forty. The further north, the higher the ages.
The nursing home did not make a profit in 2022, right after covid was letting up. In 2023, the nursing home sprung back with a profit of $1.5 million and 2024 showed a profit that was even slightly higher than 2023.
When we talk about private vs public, please note, an out of state corporation does not keep the money here. In fact, a private nursing home will cut staff to make more profit. That is less wages and less benefits for people in your community, your friends and neighbors, who do spend their money here.
People for Pine Crest held another Town Hall today. It was a packed house, the same as the first. This leads me to believe the community wants to be well informed. In the last year People for Pine Crest have placed letters to the editor as well as letters and calls to their county board members. People for Pine Crest and others have attended county board meetings; and made public comment. They have worked diligently to create awareness in their community.
The town hall ended with what kind of community do you want to see? Do you care as a community, do you serve with heart or do you reduce people, your relatives and neighbors, to numbers and bed count and cost centers. The People for Pine Crest look to community over county. Neighbors deserve good wages and benefits because that is money that will be spent back in your community to help it prosper.
The People for Pine Crest handed out postcards to send to the Lincoln County Administrative and Legislative Committee, who are leading the effort in the sale. They also ask that you contact your county board officials. Start with the Chairman, Jesse Boyd (715.581.9557), tell him that Lincoln County can afford Pine Crest and to start working toward long term solutions (like reinstating the wheel tax). Leave a voicemail and ask him to call you back. Email addresses for the members of the county board can be found on the Lincoln County Website: https://www.co.lincoln.wi.us/directory. The county board needs to hear from you that the sale be stopped now.