The General Assembly passed a budget with an additional $81.6 million ($40.8 million each year) in new Medicaid nursing facility Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program funding for the next two state fiscal years.

• This funding will move the total VBP funding from the current $144.1 million to $184.9 million for both SFYs 2025 and 2026. (This does not affect the VBP results/payments currently in process for year two of the program.)

Next steps: Gov. Glenn Youngkin is now assessing the budget. He has indicated he intends to make changes to it over tax issues and his interest in an economic development project to create a sports and entertainment complex in Alexandria.

• The governor has until April 17 when legislators return to Richmond for the reconvened session to consider any actions taken by Gov. Youngkin to modify bills passed during the Session, including the budget.
• VCHA-VCAL will be asking members to contact the governor to ask him to sustain the VBP funding.

We are incredibly grateful to the General Assembly for prioritizing the needs of the Medicaid nursing facilities in serving this very fragile population, and to our membership who work so hard to provide this critical care.

• We especially want to thank those who were able to come to Richmond and meet with legislators, as well as those who reached out with calls and emails. It was vitally important that legislators heard from you!