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Long Term Care Leaders and Advocates Turn Up Heat on Congress to Act Now

Long Term Care Leaders and Advocates Turn Up Heat on Congress to Act Now

(In case you missed this last week.)


As Senate Approaches Vote on Federal Medicaid Relief (FMAP), Long Term Care Leaders Release New National Poll Finding Voters Strongly Favor Relief Bill Passage, Oppose More
Medicaid Funding Cuts for Skilled Nursing Care


Washington, DC – At a Capitol Hill briefing today the American Health Care Association (AHCA) released a new national survey from The Mellman Group (D) (1000 LVs,
5/13-17, +/- 3.1%) finding Americans, by significant margins, strongly support
passage of federal Medicaid relief and vehemently oppose any additional state
Medicaid cuts. The new survey findings further punctuate the impact of Medicaid
cuts enacted in state capitols across the nation on elderly and disabled
constituents – and the threat of more to come as Governors face ongoing budget
crises.


Pollster Mark Mellman presented the poll’s findings on Medicaid issues as well as the extent to which
voters oppose additional federal Medicare cuts, the implications to lawmakers
in supporting additional funding cuts, and other issues related to funding U.S.
seniors’ long term care today, and in the years ahead.

Voters were found to oppose cuts to nursing facility care on both the national
and state levels. Approximately three-quarters of likely voters oppose cuts to
Medicaid reimbursement rates for nursing homes by their state legislators, even
if cuts were used to offset growing state budget deficits. Only a small
fraction of voters – 15% – actually favored state Medicaid cuts to nursing
facility care.


In regard to federal assistance for state Medicaid funding, the survey found that voters oppose
cutting funding to nursing homes so strongly that 62% of voters favored
additional federal funding for Medicaid.Results found that voters support the
use of federal funding to prevent additional cuts at the state level.


The results of the poll also found that voters, in addition to opposing cuts to funding in nursing home
care, claim they will vote against elected officials who support additional
cuts. In fact, voters say they are more likely to vote against a state legislator
who supports Medicaid cuts to nursing homes by a margin of 64% to 11%, with 45%
indicating they are much more likely to oppose the candidate.


In releasing this new data, Bruce Yarwood, President and CEO of AHCA warned, “It is urgent and abundantly
clear that Congress must immediately pass the extension of emergency Medicaid
relief. Adequate state Medicaid funding is directly linked with high quality
care and local caregiver job stability. Every day Congress waits, seniors’ care
is placed in growing jeopardy, facility staffing stability is being
compromised, and good, local health jobs are being put at risk. Seniors deserve
help, Governors are desperate for relief, and voters are demanding action.”


Added Yarwood, “AHCA and our state affiliates intend to hold Congress accountable. Aggressive advocacy
efforts both nationally and locally are now underway to ensure the extension of
emergency Medicaid relief is passed in an expeditious manner. America’s seniors
can no longer wait for Congress to act.”


As the nation’s largest association of long term and post-acute care providers, the American Health
Care Association (AHCA) advocates for quality care and services for frail,
elderly and disabled Americans. Compassionate and caring employees provide essential
care to one million individuals in our 11,000 not-for-profit and proprietary
member facilities.

Views: 24

Comment by Karen Bryan BS, RN, UM, QC, DON on June 21, 2010 at 7:13pm
Hi Tony,

What many do not realize in particular in regards to "Medicaid" is the true divergent nature of the program is very complex--although Medicaid is federally funded and state funded it is NOT equally metered to address a consistent cash flow or cost basis as the Medicare program is or should be.

When I started my nursing career I worked a Medicaid program out of the Commonwealth of Virginia; it was to address the extremely high costs of Medicaid care; for example back then you could get breast enlargement (even penile implants), Viagra and the list goes on and MANY folks who were under private pay insurance could not get such procedures and medications so covered.

I was the ONLY nurse on this program both "acute and psychiatric certified" and recall saving the Commonwealth in my first three months over $3 million in revenues; also in 1997 we were not listed as case managers but the "kids" that were booted out of psychiatric homes ended up transitioned back to family or foster care (as so mandated for their specific cases), and were seen by psychiatrists and therapists in the community. Ironically and this is significant by cutting these IP stays we also saved a life span population that once admitted to IP Psychiatric would likely stay in there and never rehab to the community. Although the topic is not about follow up care it is relevant...

I've worked in several speciality areas and I have pain management clients in Ohio who were on powerful medications that suddenly "were not covered." We have a huge overlap in government agencies of non licensed individuals pushing paper determining medical necessity and certain medications are not either appropriate in generic, do not work in this form, and overall could cause "harm" to suddenly cease taking--that is a physician's jurisdiction but some states have taken off like a "bat out of hell" on rampages that are causing loss of care, and or untoward medical outcomes.

I did a job out in New Mexico (LTC) and it was a "clean up" and I told folks out here in Texas there is a six level process when you start paperwork for Medicaid and if any one of the six levels grinds to a halt it bounces the other five or if you are on level two and passed one; it may cause three and four not to pass through it was incredible! Yet on the other hand perks like Mediciad paying for ALL PT or therapy evaluations for anyone who is a Medicaid recipient is 100% so I could walk in a building and say "nursing write therapy referrals for all residents" and then whatever the dollar amount is or was ($500) is allowed and you have a wonderful baseline especially with RUGS going to ADL's in the future of necessity, potential need, and improvement probability.

So the real issue and tenet is that Medicaid differs in every state in the United States; it makes it very difficult if you are eligible for Medicare and Medicaid to look at a structured ability for payment source and with the changing medical issues anyone in the elderly life span faces a real complicated guess...I mean I remember going into New Mexico and a SW from around Lubbock, Texas recognized my voice and said "wow it's great to know where you are at we have a ton of residents we'd love to send you!!!" The sad issue is dual as we all know; I have entered into Consultant and clean up work and so often you want to be able to say "bring it on" but sending Texas residents to New Mexico can be another issue when it comes to insurance; you may have to reapply for Medicaid there; some states have more benefits and the list goes on so until we have a baseline and that will not occur as long as Medicaid is a state by state product we have huge time related issues whether it comes to medical necessity, coverage or viability of nursing assessments!

Thanks for the article Tony...

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