Alternative Headline: Medicaid cuts squeeze providers
[MM Curator Summary]: Kent County foster care providers face ongoing financial challenges as Medicaid funding cuts extend into next year.
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WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) — Organizers of adult foster care facilities in Kent County are worrying about their bottom line after they learned Medicaid funding cuts will continue through next year.
“We have to look at how we are going to be able to balance things if cuts like this are going to continue,” said Casey Kuperus, president of David’s House Ministries. “It does appear that this will continue into the next fiscal budget that Network 180 will be voting on Monday.”
Network 180 is Kent County’s community mental health authority, which means it distributes the county’s Medicaid funding. In May, it announced a 5% cut in funding for specialized residential providers. While many, like Kuperus, were not happy about the initial cuts, they never thought the decrease would spill over into the next fiscal year.
“It seems to be we are the only ones receiving reductions in these rates with expectations to continue to provide the high-quality services,” he said.
Network 180 did not return News 8’s request for comment. Its 2026 budget shows Kent County will see a $9 million increase in Medicaid. The budget will be reviewed during a public hearing next Monday.
“It’s not about providers trying to get more money out of the budget, it’s about providers trying to get fair funding to continue the services that we are providing to this county,” Kuperus said. “And right now, it’s getting more and more difficult to do that.”
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