Why aren’t LTC facilities reducing their rates during Covid crisis?

My experience with my brother's long term care facility is very different. I am not certain of your location. I think that you cannot imagine the extra problems they are now facing. Families are very distressed. They are either on the phone 24/7 reaching out to find out how their loved ones are, or they are complaining about what is happening. The facility is being forced to educate their staff, check staff and all who come in for any purpose for temperature, create plans for movement of patient who may be infected, attempt to get EXTREMELY expensive PPE equipment, AND try to keep distress, anxious and shut in people calm. These are very difficult times for us. I am not certain if it is true in your area, but in mine, food costs are exceptionally high. Cleaning is being done continuously and more are hired on to do it, meaning more checking, more attempting to keep the virus out. During all of THIS my brother actually became ill, septicemia in blood and died, and with a temperature being the onset they had no idea was this their first case of covid or not. They now HAVE their first case, a woman who fell, was ambulanced to hospital, and tho asymptomatic she tested positive. WHAT NOW, I ask you.
I am not saying that this is not wrecking horrible hardship on you, on the one you love who is in care. What I am asking is that you imagine yourself the manager of such a place. I spent my life as an RN and can tell you that they are TERRIFIED this will enter their facility. When the first case came to my bro's place (and I know this because of daily contact with his good friend since his death) each and every POA of each and every person had to be called and fully informed. Imagine what they are all going through.
Hard times folks. Hard for us, hard for the elders we love, hard for those trying to take care of them. Let's try to pull together. None of this is going to be perfect, and in fact it is going to be daunting in the extreme and send so many into depression and despair. We have been lucky in our country not to have to have faced bombings, depressions for a long time. The latter is likely upon us. Let's try to hand in together and ask what we can DO to help. I am so dreadfully sorry for all that all of us are undergoing.

Their costs aren’t going down so why would they reduce their rates? Locking down the facility actually creates more work for the staff.

I think they are actually do more work.  No more meals in the dining room, all delivered.  Yes, I am sorry for your dad, if he does not get the activiites he wanted.

The staff also get to have Covid. Like 12 of them do at my MIL's facility. My MIL just got it this week as well. Ten people on her floor alone now have it and it's a 3-story facility. They moved her to a special wing. It's a holiday weekend, usually not staffed the same in normal times so they are running around with their hair on fire while grossly understaffed, while trying to care for those not yet sick, and the ones who are require lots more attention, everyone is getting temps taken continuously, sanitizing everyone everywhere continuously, the staff has to call lots more families all day every day besides trying to fit in way more FaceTime calls, they have to put on and take off lots of PPE every time they go into a room with covid, and on and on.

Annabox, the facility's mortgage payment is still the same.... so is the insurance on the building.... the real estate taxes..... the electric and water bill.... payroll cost for 3 shifts of workers.... food cost has gone up [we all have seen that at the grocery store, heavens a package of paper towels has almost doubled in cost].... the hazard risk insurance.... the routine building maintenance.... contract cost with transporter services.... telephone/cable cost... lawn and parking lot maintenance... the list can go on and on.

You are not the only person who cannot see their LO. These policies are in place for a reason and in some places have been legally mandated. Screening isn’t perfect but caregivers have to be allowed in. If your are that unhappy, bring him home. We had not seen my FIL for 2 months before he was hospitalized 2 weeks ago. We did not see him there nor did we see him when he was discharged in hospice.
my mother is on lockdown at a different facility.

Sorry everyone is going thru this but what they are having to do at these facilities is very difficult. I am glad to see the other posters understand this.

Annabox

You may not know, many Transit agencies aren't cutting their fares either, even though many have cut service some as much as 50%

The staff at my mom's nursing home are working overtime. People who are working double shifts are getting bonuses. N95 masks were purchased for all residents, not to mention all the PPE for the employees. The activities dept is working hard manning window and facetime visits. They even move my moms bed to get her right up to the window when we visit. They have bingo in the hall with the residents in their doorway. All meals are delivered to the rooms. Can you imagine how many messes THAT makes and the time it takes to clean up?
Last count I heard was that 18 residents had died. My mom has the virus but is doing well.
The lockdown is a huge inconvenience to everyone, and definitely doesn't make day to day operations in a facility any cheaper.

If you want to see him everyday and you’re unhappy about how much the facility is charging, go ahead and have him transferred to your house. I’m sure the facility would be happy arrange his speedy dispatch to your doorstep in short order.
No? I think you prefer your backseat driving occupation. Please find some hobbies and more friends. No grown-up should be this dependent on their own parent for entertainment and fulfillment in life.

I would imagine while things like activity costs have dropped, every other cost has increased. An SNF in a neighboring state when COVID-19 stay at home orders went into place finally had to literally close down and transfer patients to other facilities because their workers refused to come to work. That is extreme of course, but in many cases they are already understaffed and now without activities, volunteers and family to provide some breaks in the day, staff is working even harder to take care of residents.
Additionally the extra cleaning and PPE required to meet state standards, overtime pay, etc can make huge financial impacts.