Springfield’s second largest long-term care facility is closing by the end of the year.
Heritage Health-Springfield plans to close on December 17th. The closure will displace more than 100 residents and 180 employees. The facility has been open by 1985 and is jointly owned by nonprofit Memorial Health and for-profit Heritage Operating Group and operated by Heritage as managing partner.
According to a letter from the group, three primary factors led to the decision to close. The release says the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented operating costs, the inability to hire and retain workers, and reimbursement from the Illinois Medicaid program has not kept pace with the accelerated operating costs.
Chief Operating Officer Ben Hart told the State Journal Register that patients will be assisted in transferring to other Heritage facilities and non-Heritage facilities. The group manages more than 50 facilities throughout Illinois. The facilities include sites in Petersburg, Beardstown, and Jacksonville.
Heritage spokesperson Melissa Beaver also told the SJ-R employees affected by the scheduled closure will be offered jobs at other Heritage facilities in central Illinois. An inquiry by WLDS on how this would effect operations in Jacksonville and Beardstown has not been returned.