When it comes to nursing home care, Medicaid is what helps foot the bill if a resident doesn’t have the financial means. But a Kaiser Health News analysis of the quality of care shows that future cuts to such a program could mean less care for residents.

According to KHN, the care suffered in nursing homes, where a higher percentage of residents are covered by Medicaid.

The analysis was based on a rating system used by the government, which looks at things like a resident’s health or how many staff it employs.

"So because they’re only able to charge so much money, they’re only getting so much money per each person that’s in that nursing home," said Dana Marie Kennedy, AARP Arizona’s state director. "So there isn’t that flexibility to be able to say, we’re going to charge you $7,000, rather the state is saying this how much you’re going to get for that one person."  

Kennedy said, as a result, staff salaries and staff to patient ratios are reduced.

According to KHN, if such cuts to Medicaid were to go into effect, states would likely have to lower payment rates or restrict who they cover and for how long.