Lehigh County commissioners prepared to select Cedarbrook’s fate

Aug. 10--Lehigh County commissioners believe they are two weeks away from deciding Cedarbrook's future after receiving an operations study of the county-owned nursing home.

In March, an architectural study of the nursing home presented commissioners with several ways they could upgrade the facility. The study presented Wednesday examined those options and estimated how much the county could save under each possibility.

Commissioners have been asking for these cost studies for years, but political impasses and infighting have slowed down the timetable. But with all the information finally in hand, there's no reason commissioners cannot reach a decision at their Aug. 23 meeting, said Commissioners Dan Hartzell and Marty Nothstein, who both came to office after the debate over Cedarbrook began.

"One thing I finally feel like we have is momentum. We have to keep it moving forward," said Nothstein, chairman of the board of commissioners.

Whatever decision commissioners reach is bound to affect generations of seniors and tax payers. The options range from doing nothing and keeping Cedarbrook in its current state to adding a new wing and renovating old ones to starting fresh with a facility at a different location.

On Wednesday night, it wasn't clear which option commissioners would select. Commissioner David Jones favored building a new facility while Commissioners Geoff Brace, Hartzell and Nothstein endorsed a plan to build a four-story wing, renovate an existing wing and convert two other wings into apartments for independent seniors and office space.

"I'd be ready to vote tonight, but I don't necessarily believe everyone else would," Hartzell said.

Commissioners Percy Dougherty, Amanda Holt and Michael Schware said they were unprepared to make a decision Wednesday, and Commissioner Brad Osborne was evasive when asked by his fellow commissioners.

None of the options the commissioners will consider, however, will save money in the long term. The most cost-efficient plan would have the county build a seven-story wing at the South Whitehall Township facility and close the Fountain Hill operation. That $100.4 million plan would save about $2.25 million in operations a year but would come with drawbacks: A seven-story structure would present challenges for fire safety and may be harder to market to seniors and their families, commissioners said.

That financial burden had Commissioner Tom Creighton leaning toward a $17.5 million plan to renovate the South Whitehall Township facility but keep several rooms that house three or four patients. Nursing homes are trying to move away from rooms with more than two patients, but Creighton said he was struggling to justify the cost based off his interactions with constituents.

"I had two or three people walk up to me and say, 'Keep my county taxes low. We can't afford it up here,' " said Creighton, who represents the county's northern tier.

Currently, about 80 percent of Cedarbrook's 670 beds go to patients on Medicaid, which provides coverage to people with limited resources. Medicaid funding, however, provides a lower level of funding than private insurance or Medicare patients. In theory, upgrading the nursing home with modern amenities like semi-private bathrooms may attract better-paying patients. However, that possibility is offset by the number of Medicaid patients in need of care.

While the number of seniors in the Lehigh Valley is expected to grow, private nursing homes are moving away from Medicaid patients because they are less profitable, according to local nursing home consultants. As a result, Medicaid patients are relying more and more on publicly owned nursing homes such as Cedarbrook, County Executive Tom Muller said. While upgrading the nursing home is unlikely to pay financial dividends, it will ensure the county will provide quality care and act as a place of last resort for seniors.

"The reasons to [upgrade] it is our commitment to provide a safety net for these seniors who have the need, who have outlived their money," Muller said.

Over the past few years, conservative commissioners and Muller have blamed one another for how long the Cedarbrook debate has dragged on. On Wednesday, however, neither side focused on the length of the debate and instead discussed how to keep the project on track.

"It looks like a good summary of where we are and the decision ahead of us," said Osborne, who is campaigning to succeed Muller as county executive.

Cedarbrook options

Here are the options Lehigh County commissioners will consider when they meet Aug. 23 to discuss potential upgrades to Cedarbrook nursing home.

Upgrade the South Whitehall site but keep patient rooms the same: $17.5 million. Savings: None

Upgrade patient rooms at the South Whitehall site and add a two-story wing: $54.4 million cost. Savings: $140,000 a year.

Upgrade patient rooms at the South Whitehall site, add a four-story wing and convert two wings into apartments and office space: $68 million cost. Savings: $270,000 a year.

Upgrade patient rooms at the South Whitehall site, add a seven-story wing, convert two wings into apartments and office space and close Fountain Hill site: $100.4 million cost. Savings: $2.25 million a year.

Acquire land, build a new facility and close South Whitehall and Fountain Hill sites: $123.8 million cost. Savings: $2.24 million a year.

tshortell@mcall.com

610-820-6168

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