Long Term Care Advocates Converge on Washington, Urge Congress to Protect Senior Health Programs 

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Washington, DC

— As debt ceiling negotiations dominate Capitol Hill this week, long term care leaders are encouraging legislators to remember the impact that cuts in funding of the nation’s largest public health programs can have on the frail and elderly. More than 400 health care leaders, nurses and administrators participated in the AHCA/NCAL Congressional Briefing on behalf of the 1.5 million residents and patients they care for in today’s skilled nursing and rehab facilities.

“We’re here to defend the quality care that our residents deserve. They should be encouraged in knowing we’re going to knock on every door and share their stories,” said Governor Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of AHCA/NCAL. “This is about preserving and improving the quality of life of those people who need it most.”

Governor Parkinson today opened the session by calling on the long term care profession to be the leader in defense of quality health care. This week’s briefing will focus largely on two central issues: the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for reductions in payments to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), and potential Medicaid cuts through block grants currently debated in the debt ceiling talks.

Earlier this summer, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an NPRM regarding reductions of funding to Medicare payments to SNFs rates by 12.8 percent. Economic impact models suggest that the total effect of the proposed cut could put over 100,000 jobs at risk and reduce wages and salaries by about $5.0 billion.

AHCA and its advocates this week will also caution against Medicaid cuts through block grants, which would shift a heavy burden to states to cover the costs of the already underfunded Medicaid program.  According to an independent national study released earlier this year, Medicaid payments were $5.6 billion short of covering allowable nursing home costs in 2010, paying an average of only 91 cents on every dollar of allowable costs incurred for each Medicaid patient. States, which are still struggling to recover from the current economic stresses, may opt to cut the program to help ease budgetary strains.

“There is no time more important than now to ensure the future of this nation’s health care programs,” said Bob Van Dyk, Chair of AHCA’s Board of Governors. “Washington will hear our message loud and clear this week on behalf of seniors and those who care for them.”

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The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) represent nearly 11,000 non-profit and proprietary facilities dedicated to continuous improvement in the delivery of professional and compassionate care provided daily by millions of caring employees to 1.5 million of our nation's frail, elderly and disabled citizens who live in nursing facilities, assisted living residences, subacute centers and homes for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. For more information, please visitwww.ahca.org orwww.ncal.org

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