Athena Health Care Systems, once the largest owner of nursing homes in Connecticut, announced that it will close another nursing home.
The Abbott Terrace Health Center will be shuttered by November 8, with Athena citing the loss of federal reimbursement as the driving factor. This decision will result in the termination of more than 200 jobs, including nurses and support staff, as families scramble to find new care options for residents.
Athena Health, based in Farmington, Conn., operates 14 nursing facilities across Connecticut. The closure comes after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) informed the company that it would no longer be able to bill for services at Abbott Terrace.
In a letter to the Connecticut Department of Labor (DOL) dated September 30, Larry Santilli, the company’s president, described the CMS action as “an unprecedented step” that took them by surprise. Santilli noted that the company had been actively working with both CMS and the Connecticut Department of Public Health to address compliance issues raised regarding the facility.
The sudden nature of the closure has added to the anxiety of families, who are now racing against the clock to find suitable placements, with local officials actively searching for alternative care facilities to accommodate displaced residents, though options may be limited, according to an article in the New Haven Register.
In its filing with the state Department of Labor, Athena stated that 209 jobs would be eliminated, the article states, impacting not just health care providers but also facility workers, including housekeeping staff. While the company has mentioned that some employees may be offered positions at other Athena facilities, it remains unclear how many will accept or be able to transition smoothly.
Abbott Terrace is one of many facilities operated by Athena in Connecticut, which also has locations in cities like Bridgeport, Bristol, and Middletown.
Earlier, Athena sold five nursing homes for an undisclosed sum to a New-York based provider.