Winchester House rates set to rise

Residents of Lake County's Winchester House nursing home will have to pay more for medical care, therapy and other services starting this month, under a plan before the county board.

If approved, the changes will be effective retroactively Dec. 1. Patients at the county-run facility in Libertyville were notified of the potential increases in October, County Administrator Barry Burton said.

Among the changes:

• Skilled care will cost $200 per day, up from $190.

• Intermediate care and hospice care each will cost $185 per day, up from $175.

• A private room will cost an additional $25 a day on top of regular service fees.

Despite the proposed increases, Burton said the rates will remain competitive with the rest of the nursing-home industry.

Winchester House room rates last were increased in January 2005, officials said.

The board's health and community services committee tentatively approved the change Tuesday. The financial and administrative committee signed off on the plan Wednesday.

The full board could approve the rate increase at its next meeting on Dec. 11. That session is set to begin at 9 a.m. at the county government center, 18 N. County St., Waukegan.

Winchester House, which has been under capacity and losing money for years, is going through a period of significant change.

The county board voted in September to replace the aging, 360-bed facility with a smaller, roughly 175-bed skilled nursing facility.

The new facility will be built near the existing building on Winchester Road west of Milwaukee Avenue, but it won't be operational for several years, officials have said.

Additionally, top administrator Jamie Weibeler quit last month to take a job in Milwaukee. He'd been at Winchester House less than two years.

Rates on the rise

Patients at the Winchester House nursing home will pay more for some services starting this month, under a plan before the county board. Here are some of the proposed changes:

New rate (per day) Old rate

• Skilled care $200 $190

• Intermediate care $185 $175

• Bed hold $138.75 $131.25

• Respite care $185 $175

• Hospice care $185 $175

• Private room $25 additional N/A

Source: Lake County