HomeMy WebLinkAbout20193990.tiffOFFICE OF BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PHONE: 970-336-7204
FAX: 970-336-7233
1150 O STREET
P.O. BOX 758
GREELEY, COLORADO 80632
August 27, 2019
Diana Wardlow-Dotter
Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Certification and Enforcement Branch
Denver Regional Office
1961 Stout Street, Room 08-148
Denver CO 80294
Ms. Wardlow-Dotter,
The Center at Centerplace, LLC (Centerplace) is a newly constructed 54 skilled nursing facility built in Greeley,
Colorado. It is the first skilled nursing facility to be built in Greeley in the last 20 years despite a 40% growth in our
population over the same period of time. The population growth in the greater Weld County area has increased by 74%.
No subacute rehabilitation facilities have been built in neighboring Morgan, Logan, Sedgwick, or Phillips counties in
over 30 years. Greeley serves the health care needs of many of the rural eastern and northern Colorado communities.
Centerplace was built to provide the senior citizens in Greeley and the surrounding rural communities a low-cost, high -
quality facility to recover from serious surgeries and illnesses. This facility costs Medicare less than 1/5th the price per
day than hospitals or other acute -care facilities that provide the similar services.
Unfortunately, Centerplace's request for a priority exception to receive a Medicare Certification survey was denied
making it impossible to open the brand new facility. Centerplace is a community -owned facility that has been constructed
at a cost of $20 million and no single individual or entity owns more than 5%. Over one hundred Coloradoans have come
together to make this project a reality to address the severe shortage of quality skilled nursing beds in Weld County. Over
thirty-five thousand senior citizens in Weld, Morgan, Logan, Sedgwick, and Phillips Counties will have access to the new
facility.
In addition, the facility will employ over 150 full time employees in the Greeley area. These employees will be given
access to the company health plan, 401(k), dental, vision and other benefits. The facility has already hired 40 employees
who will have to be terminated if the priority exception request is not granted.
We respectfully request you award a priority exception to Centerplace to allow our community's elderly demographic to
have proper access to quality skilled nursing care many are currently unable to access.
Sincerely,
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Barbara Kirkmeyer, Chair
ezenvin on i COQ,+� o nS
2019-3990
Oc\IQ9/t9
Hello