Salerno Bay Health and Rehabilitation Center
A great deal has been said and
written recently about the new Prospective Payment System (PPS) being
considered by the Florida Legislature relating to nursing home reimbursements.
A critical element struggling to be heard in the “winner-vs.-loser” debate is
the well-being of the very seniors we serve. I am thankful to Senator Negron for
having the vision to tackle this kind of comprehensive change.
Rather than simply reimbursing
nursing homes for the costs they incur, Senator Negron and his colleagues in
the Florida Senate created a new system that will incentivize health care
outcomes and the investments that are made to improve the quality of lives for our
most frail citizens. Many homes like ours have been making these kinds of
investments for years, despite the fact that reimbursement levels for Medicaid
patients cover less than what it costs to care for them. Rarely are resources available
to upgrade technology or common areas where families can visit in privacy and
comfort.
The legislation being considered
in Tallahassee smartly anticipates that some homes will need time to adjust to
a new system. The three-year transition period and appropriation in the
proposal will put us all on a level playing field. I’m thankful to Senator
Negron for putting nursing home residents first, as he has always done. As they
consider the state budget in these final days of session, the residents and
caregivers at Salerno Bay Health and Rehabilitation Center want to encourage our
legislative leaders to do the right thing. Pass a Prospective Payment System
for nursing center reimbursement and make quality the focus for Florida’s
oldest residents.
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