Residents and Caregivers to Local Lawmakers: PPS Equals Quality!

Nursing center residents and caregivers around Florida paid a visit to legislators’ district offices today to urge the lawmakers to support a Prospective Payment System (PPS) for nursing center reimbursement. The PPS plan is under consideration in Tallahassee today as Senate and House members work out details to finalize the state budget before the 2017 legislative session is scheduled to end next Friday.

Residents and caregivers from numerous Gulf Coast Health Care centers visited legislators’ district offices to promote the message that “PPS Equals Quality.” Among the centers paying visits were:

·       DeBary Health & Rehabilitation Center (Representative Jason Brodeur – Sanford);

·       Margate Health & Rehabilitation Center (Senator Anitere Flores – Miami and Representative David Richardson – Miami Beach);

·       Royal Palm Health & Rehabilitation Center (Senator Kevin Rader – Boca Raton);

·       Salerno Health & Rehabilitation (Representative Gayle Harrell – Hobe Sound); and

·       Oakbrook Health & Rehabilitation (Senator Kathleen Passidomo – Naples).

“Quality is so important to what we do every day,” said Patti Spears, administrator of Oakbrook Health and Rehabilitation in Labelle. “With these visits, we’re really emphasizing to our senators and representatives that PPS equals quality, and at the end of the day, we have to care for our residents and put their interests first.” 

Florida nursing centers are currently reimbursed using a cost-based system. Gulf Coast Health Care is among the more than 550 Florida Health Care Association members that support a Prospective Payment System, which is designed to measure and reward centers for meaningful quality advancements and provide incentives for efficient use of taxpayer dollars.

The district office visits by residents and caregivers were planned to showcase the exceptional services being delivered in these centers and to encourage legislators to make quality the focus of Medicaid reimbursements for nursing center care.

To learn more about the Prospective Payment System for nursing center reimbursement, click here.