Lyon County asks for help with indigent care costs

The request is the fourth consecutive plea by county officials for financial assistance from state welfare coffers, the Nevada Appeal reported.

County Commissioners last week agreed to request that county Human Services Director Edrie LaVoie ask for $160,761 to make sure the county could meet its required 50 percent match of $494,777 for the fiscal year.

"Last month, we had 36 patients in nursing homes and with our county's growing elderly population, this number will only increase," LaVoie said.

Lyon County's population growth is higher than the state's overall percentage increase. Indigent care patient numbers have increased from 2 to 36 since 1989-90, and patient costs have grown from $13,500 to $494,777 in the same time frame.

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