testing option that may reduce nursing home fees in some cases.
Government will continue to pay nearly three quarters of the cost of care
provided in Special Care Homes. The fee schedule will continue to guarantee
that all residents retain a minimum level of disposable income beyond long term
Long Term Care fees currently range from $797 to $1,036 per month, based on
income. Effective October 1, residents now paying the maximum charge will be
assessed new fees ranging from $1,036 to $1,500. The changes will only affect
individuals with incomes greater than $1,421 per month.
Over the last nine years government funding for long term care has increased by
28 per cent. The maximum fee has increased by only ten per cent during that
time. "With this change, Saskatchewan's maximum nursing home fee will still be
in the mid-range of western provinces," Associate Health Minister Judy Junor
Government is also changing the current system to help married couples where
one partner is resident in a nursing home. When calculating income for the
assessment of fees, couples can now choose to base the calculation on half of
combined income or use the income of the partner requiring care, whichever is
more favourable to the resident. The change will increase disposable income
for an estimated 900 couples.
Nursing home fees collected last year raised an estimated $95 million, in
addition to the $290 million Saskatchewan Health funded districts for Special
Care Homes. Resident fees thus represented about 25 per cent of the cost of
accommodation and care. Under the new arrangements, this percentage is
projected to rise to 26 or 27 per cent.
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