Ontario County Health Facility To Go Private, Need Buyer
By: Caroline Tucker
Updated: February 6, 2013
Ontario County is expected to look for a buyer soon for the Ontario County Health Facility.
The county's employee union doesn't want to see the nursing home go in private hands.
The union was expected to hold a meeting in Canandaigua Tuesday night to address the concerns and possible changes that could come to the facility.
It worries that a private owner could reduce the number of beds available.
But the county administrator said the decision has been made to put the facility to market.
Ontario County reports that it has been losing millions of dollars every year because of declining occupancy and low medicaid reimbursements.
The facility has 98 beds but there are currently only 77 patients housed there.
The county said selling the facility is better than closing it down.
"Yes there is some controversy, but the idea is to make sure that the appropriate level of care is available to people at the right time in their life and those needs are changing," said John Garvey, Ontario County Administrator.
The county said it would require that the new owner run the home as a skilled nursing facility for at least the next ten years.
