Congress is currently debating potential additional cuts to nursing homes and assisted living facilities, after already being dealt billions of dollars in cuts. While we understand the need for sacrifice, Florida's long term care facilities are already struggling from a drastic $187.5 million state Medicaid cut that went into effect earlier this year. The combination of that reduction on top of Medicare cuts from health care reform and federal regulation is taking its toll. The long term care profession simply cannot sustain additional cuts at this time without jeopardizing care and access for seniors, along with the jobs of caregivers committed to delivering that high quality care.
A group of long term care advocates from Florida will be traveling to Washington, DC, over the next several weeks to share our concerns with Congress. You can help have your voice heard by taking action today -- Click here to contact your Member of Congress and tell them to preserve, protect and defend quality nursing home care and assisted living care services for seniors and people with disabilities.
Please join us in telling Congress that continuous cuts threaten access to quality care for Florida's growing population of seniors and access to quality jobs for Florida's long term care workforce. You can also pass this link along to others and ask their help with standing up for those who cannot care for themselves.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Jobs at risk as more cuts loom for Florida seniors’ Medicare and Medicaid-financed skilled nursing care
As economic conditions remain unstable for Florida and the nation, both Congress’ deficit reduction “super committee” and the White House have proposed yet another round of cuts to skilled nursing Medicare/Medicaid benefits for Florida’s seniors. Florida facilities are already reeling from a series of recent budgetary actions, with a $331.8 million cut to seniors’ Medicare-funded skilled nursing care set to take effect October 1. The proposed cuts being discussed in Washington as a way to reduce the nation’s deficit will severely jeopardize Florida’s oldest, sickest seniors – especially when combined with the growing pressure on our state Medicaid budget. In July, Florida’s Medicaid funding for seniors’ skilled nursing care was slashed by $187.5 million.
Protecting vulnerable seniors is a critical priority from which we must never deviate. Yet, they will suffer the most if further cuts are made to Medicare- or Medicaid-funded skilled nursing care. Facilities are already struggling to provide high quality care at the level today’s seniors expect and deserve, and the combination of additional Medicare cuts on top of the stress already placed on seniors’ state Medicaid benefits will severely undercut facility staffing efforts.
Throughout Florida and across America, frontline caregivers make a key difference in patient care – and these proposed cuts present a clear and present danger to their jobs. Seventy percent of facility costs go to pay for the people working to care for Florida’s 71,000+ seniors and people with disabilities in our state’s skilled nursing facilities. With both federal and state officials pushing policies to promote job creation in our country, more proposed cuts to Medicare and Medicaid are simply counterproductive.
Too many Floridians have lost their jobs or had their homes foreclosed, and the road to recovery has been much too slow going. More cuts to Medicare and Medicaid will sidetrack our state’s ability to support good-paying health care jobs – 178,000 in Florida’s long term care facilities alone. As the Executive Director of the Florida Health Care Association, I am alarmed that nurses and caregivers will no longer be able to perform their vital services if the burden of cost savings continues to be unfairly placed on their service. Cutting out the people who provide great care will do nothing to protect our seniors.
Now, more than ever, older Americans need advocates - in Washington and in our state capital - to address the care needs of the first wave of Baby Boomers who turned 65 this year. Our social service safety net, particularly for the frail elderly, is already stretched way too thin. It needs to be shored up, not shot down.
Please contact your Members of Congress. The message is clear: Any further cuts at the federal or state level to Medicare or Medicaid threaten an already fragile long-term care system with unthinkable and tragic results. Further cuts threaten caregiver jobs, place quality of care at risk and very soon will limit access to people who need skilled nursing care.
J. Emmett Reed, CAE
FHCA Executive Director
Protecting vulnerable seniors is a critical priority from which we must never deviate. Yet, they will suffer the most if further cuts are made to Medicare- or Medicaid-funded skilled nursing care. Facilities are already struggling to provide high quality care at the level today’s seniors expect and deserve, and the combination of additional Medicare cuts on top of the stress already placed on seniors’ state Medicaid benefits will severely undercut facility staffing efforts.
Throughout Florida and across America, frontline caregivers make a key difference in patient care – and these proposed cuts present a clear and present danger to their jobs. Seventy percent of facility costs go to pay for the people working to care for Florida’s 71,000+ seniors and people with disabilities in our state’s skilled nursing facilities. With both federal and state officials pushing policies to promote job creation in our country, more proposed cuts to Medicare and Medicaid are simply counterproductive.
Too many Floridians have lost their jobs or had their homes foreclosed, and the road to recovery has been much too slow going. More cuts to Medicare and Medicaid will sidetrack our state’s ability to support good-paying health care jobs – 178,000 in Florida’s long term care facilities alone. As the Executive Director of the Florida Health Care Association, I am alarmed that nurses and caregivers will no longer be able to perform their vital services if the burden of cost savings continues to be unfairly placed on their service. Cutting out the people who provide great care will do nothing to protect our seniors.
Now, more than ever, older Americans need advocates - in Washington and in our state capital - to address the care needs of the first wave of Baby Boomers who turned 65 this year. Our social service safety net, particularly for the frail elderly, is already stretched way too thin. It needs to be shored up, not shot down.
Please contact your Members of Congress. The message is clear: Any further cuts at the federal or state level to Medicare or Medicaid threaten an already fragile long-term care system with unthinkable and tragic results. Further cuts threaten caregiver jobs, place quality of care at risk and very soon will limit access to people who need skilled nursing care.
J. Emmett Reed, CAE
FHCA Executive Director
Monday, August 29, 2011
New Ad Campaign Urges “Care Not Cuts”
Long term, post-acute care sector launches fall media effort to help preserve, protect, defend seniors’ access to quality skilled nursing and rehabilitative care in Florida
The long term and post-acute care profession is uniting to launch a nationwide informational campaign, “Care Not Cuts,” and is running its first ad in the state of Florida beginning today. As Congress begins to examine ways to reduce the federal deficit, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care (Alliance) have partnered with the state affiliate, the Florida Health Care Association (FHCA), to ensure federal lawmakers understand the vital need to preserve, protect and defend U.S. seniors’ access to quality skilled nursing and rehabilitative care.
“Already coping with billions of dollars in reductions from health care reform, federal regulations and a State Medicaid crisis, our facilities are feeling the impact,” said Emmett Reed, Executive Director of FHCA. “This campaign raises awareness among Florida’s Congressional delegation that we cannot sustain any more cuts, and who better to deliver this message than the dedicated caregivers who serve our seniors every single day?”
Beginning today and continuing through September 6, the first TV spot of the multi-month campaign, “Nurses,” features frontline caregivers. The text of the spot is as follows:
I work as a rehabilitation nurse. I love what I do.
In the last five years, nursing homes have absorbed billions in Medicare and Medicaid cuts.
Even so, we’ve maintained high quality care.
Now, there’s talk of more, deeper cuts. I understand the need for sacrifice.
We’ve given our fair share, and more.
But as a nurse who cares for her patients, I can tell you another round of deep cuts that target nursing homes simply goes too far.
In Florida, other caregivers are sharing similar concerns about the impact additional cuts would have on the residents they care for each day.
“Working in a nursing home is not just a job; it’s a calling,” said Lisa McFall, RN, of Palm Garden in Orlando. “It’s so rewarding to interact with my residents and make certain I’m helping them enjoy a good quality of life every day. However, I am deeply concerned that additional cuts to nursing homes may make it difficult for me to do this job that I love. These residents become like family, and I want to help protect and care for them.”
Reed said the informational campaign will proceed throughout the remainder of 2011 to draw attention to the fact local nursing homes and assisted living facilities are a critical part of the health care continuum, offering high-quality patient care and rehabilitation in a cost-effective manner. Long term and post-acute care facilities serve as a cornerstone of local communities’ employment base – reliably providing more than 178,000 jobs in Florida.
To view “Nurses,” please visit http://www.carenotcuts.org/.
The long term and post-acute care profession is uniting to launch a nationwide informational campaign, “Care Not Cuts,” and is running its first ad in the state of Florida beginning today. As Congress begins to examine ways to reduce the federal deficit, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care (Alliance) have partnered with the state affiliate, the Florida Health Care Association (FHCA), to ensure federal lawmakers understand the vital need to preserve, protect and defend U.S. seniors’ access to quality skilled nursing and rehabilitative care.
“Already coping with billions of dollars in reductions from health care reform, federal regulations and a State Medicaid crisis, our facilities are feeling the impact,” said Emmett Reed, Executive Director of FHCA. “This campaign raises awareness among Florida’s Congressional delegation that we cannot sustain any more cuts, and who better to deliver this message than the dedicated caregivers who serve our seniors every single day?”
Beginning today and continuing through September 6, the first TV spot of the multi-month campaign, “Nurses,” features frontline caregivers. The text of the spot is as follows:
I work as a rehabilitation nurse. I love what I do.
In the last five years, nursing homes have absorbed billions in Medicare and Medicaid cuts.
Even so, we’ve maintained high quality care.
Now, there’s talk of more, deeper cuts. I understand the need for sacrifice.
We’ve given our fair share, and more.
But as a nurse who cares for her patients, I can tell you another round of deep cuts that target nursing homes simply goes too far.
In Florida, other caregivers are sharing similar concerns about the impact additional cuts would have on the residents they care for each day.
“Working in a nursing home is not just a job; it’s a calling,” said Lisa McFall, RN, of Palm Garden in Orlando. “It’s so rewarding to interact with my residents and make certain I’m helping them enjoy a good quality of life every day. However, I am deeply concerned that additional cuts to nursing homes may make it difficult for me to do this job that I love. These residents become like family, and I want to help protect and care for them.”
Reed said the informational campaign will proceed throughout the remainder of 2011 to draw attention to the fact local nursing homes and assisted living facilities are a critical part of the health care continuum, offering high-quality patient care and rehabilitation in a cost-effective manner. Long term and post-acute care facilities serve as a cornerstone of local communities’ employment base – reliably providing more than 178,000 jobs in Florida.
To view “Nurses,” please visit http://www.carenotcuts.org/.
Monday, August 1, 2011
CMS Issues Final Rule on Medicare Payments to Skilled Nursing Facilities
Federal Agency Drastically Reduces Skilled Nursing Facility Payments
J. Emmett Reed, Executive Director of Florida Health Care Association (FHCA), issued the following statement in response to the release of the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System final rule for FY 2012 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):
“In its Final Rule, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will cause long term care facilities to see a significant reduction in Medicare funding for skilled nursing care of nearly $4 billion beginning October 1, 2011. Facilities in Florida are already experiencing a drastic $187.5 million cut to state Medicaid funding that went into effect July 1. The CMS reductions will threaten our facilities’ ability to continue delivering quality care to Florida’s seniors and puts thousands of long term care jobs at risk, particularly since Medicare funding helps to prop up Medicaid, which has historically underfunded nursing home care. FHCA will continue advocating on behalf of Florida’s long term care facilities in hopes that lawmakers at the state and federal level will see the importance of preserving much-needed funding so seniors can have access to quality long term care both today and in the future.”
J. Emmett Reed, Executive Director of Florida Health Care Association (FHCA), issued the following statement in response to the release of the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System final rule for FY 2012 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):
“In its Final Rule, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will cause long term care facilities to see a significant reduction in Medicare funding for skilled nursing care of nearly $4 billion beginning October 1, 2011. Facilities in Florida are already experiencing a drastic $187.5 million cut to state Medicaid funding that went into effect July 1. The CMS reductions will threaten our facilities’ ability to continue delivering quality care to Florida’s seniors and puts thousands of long term care jobs at risk, particularly since Medicare funding helps to prop up Medicaid, which has historically underfunded nursing home care. FHCA will continue advocating on behalf of Florida’s long term care facilities in hopes that lawmakers at the state and federal level will see the importance of preserving much-needed funding so seniors can have access to quality long term care both today and in the future.”
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Action Needed: Contact the White House and CMS Today to Protect Long Term Care Medicare Funding
We are just days away from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issuing the SNF PPS final rule. The current CMS rule states that reimbursement rates must be cut immediately by approximately 12.8 percent, or nearly $4.5 billion. This would negatively impact nursing facilities, the economic benefits they bring to communities and the care they provide to millions of older Americans. As Washington focuses on the debt, it is critical that we continue to draw attention to this issue. The White House and CMS are currently working through the final details; NOW is the time to weigh in with these offices. You can make a difference by sending a letter today.
Please show them that we care, and tell them that they must do the right thing. Help send a letter today by clicking here.
Please show them that we care, and tell them that they must do the right thing. Help send a letter today by clicking here.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Florida Long Term Care Leaders Praise Reps. Buchanan, Castor, Miller, Nugent, Posey, Wilson and Young, along with Sen. Nelson, for Signing Key Letter to CMS
Bipartisan letter calls for the rejection of proposed Medicare cuts that threaten jobs, access to skilled nursing care
On the heels of a media event addressing concerns over the state Medicaid nursing home funding cuts that take effect today, Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) praised Members of the Florida delegation, U.S. Reps. Vern Buchanan (R), Kathy Castor (D), Jeff Miller (R), Rich Nugent (R), Bill Posey (R), Frederica Wilson (D), and Bill Young (R) for their support of the bipartisan letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), as the federal health agency considers a proposal that would cut Medicare reimbursement to skilled nursing facilities immediately by 12.8 percent for Fiscal Year 2012. The Florida Representatives were seven of the 152 Representatives to sign onto the letter to CMS, which urges the agency to consider all of the appropriate data before adopting deep Medicare payment cuts to skilled nursing facilities. FHCA also praised Sen. Bill Nelson (D) for joining the effort by sending a similar letter to CMS.
“We thank these Members of Congress for carrying our voice in Washington and for their continued efforts to ensure the growing needs of our nation’s most vulnerable frail, elderly seniors and individuals with disabilities are protected,” said Emmett Reed, Executive Director of FHCA. “Medicaid and Medicare funding are inextricably linked, and their recognition of the potential devastation this proposal could inflict on Florida’s nursing facilities, as well as the quality of care they provide and the number of jobs they contribute, could make the difference in finding a more measured approach to their Medicare payment system.”
In an unprecedented move in late April, CMS proposed a drastic, immediate cut to the nation’s skilled nursing facilities by more than $4 billion. The agency’s proposal is based on less than one year of data when, historically, CMS bases decisions on a full year of data. If the proposal were adopted, nursing facilities would be forced to make significant operational changes, putting more than 100,000 jobs in multiple professions at risk.
FHCA and its national organization, the American Health Care Association (AHCA), are advocating that CMS slow down the process and follow its traditional practices of examining the entire data before implementing a reduction to nursing facilities. The associations aim to help CMS reach its goal of budget neutrality within the Medicare payment system, but through a more measured, targeted approach by dispersing the reduction over multiple years.
The bipartisan letter sent to CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, which is similar to the letter sent individually by Sen. Bill Nelson, was co-signed by Representatives Buchanan, Castor, Miller, Nugent, Posey, Wilson, and Young and states:
“Financial stability is critical to ensuring sustainable, quality long-term care for Medicare beneficiaries in nursing facilities. The men and women who work in these facilities, approximately 3.1 million Americans, are responsible for serving some of the frailest members of our society. We must ensure that the services they provide to Medicare beneficiaries are preserved.
“On behalf of our constituents who receive care in SNFs, we request the agency take a more measured approach and delay any proposed cuts pending a review of data from a full year. If, after reviewing additional data, CMS ultimately determines that comprehensive information supports the need to adjust payments to SNFs, then it should follow its common practice of implementing the reduction over a period of two or three years in order to reduce the potential impact on nursing facility services.”
On the heels of a media event addressing concerns over the state Medicaid nursing home funding cuts that take effect today, Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) praised Members of the Florida delegation, U.S. Reps. Vern Buchanan (R), Kathy Castor (D), Jeff Miller (R), Rich Nugent (R), Bill Posey (R), Frederica Wilson (D), and Bill Young (R) for their support of the bipartisan letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), as the federal health agency considers a proposal that would cut Medicare reimbursement to skilled nursing facilities immediately by 12.8 percent for Fiscal Year 2012. The Florida Representatives were seven of the 152 Representatives to sign onto the letter to CMS, which urges the agency to consider all of the appropriate data before adopting deep Medicare payment cuts to skilled nursing facilities. FHCA also praised Sen. Bill Nelson (D) for joining the effort by sending a similar letter to CMS.
“We thank these Members of Congress for carrying our voice in Washington and for their continued efforts to ensure the growing needs of our nation’s most vulnerable frail, elderly seniors and individuals with disabilities are protected,” said Emmett Reed, Executive Director of FHCA. “Medicaid and Medicare funding are inextricably linked, and their recognition of the potential devastation this proposal could inflict on Florida’s nursing facilities, as well as the quality of care they provide and the number of jobs they contribute, could make the difference in finding a more measured approach to their Medicare payment system.”
In an unprecedented move in late April, CMS proposed a drastic, immediate cut to the nation’s skilled nursing facilities by more than $4 billion. The agency’s proposal is based on less than one year of data when, historically, CMS bases decisions on a full year of data. If the proposal were adopted, nursing facilities would be forced to make significant operational changes, putting more than 100,000 jobs in multiple professions at risk.
FHCA and its national organization, the American Health Care Association (AHCA), are advocating that CMS slow down the process and follow its traditional practices of examining the entire data before implementing a reduction to nursing facilities. The associations aim to help CMS reach its goal of budget neutrality within the Medicare payment system, but through a more measured, targeted approach by dispersing the reduction over multiple years.
The bipartisan letter sent to CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, which is similar to the letter sent individually by Sen. Bill Nelson, was co-signed by Representatives Buchanan, Castor, Miller, Nugent, Posey, Wilson, and Young and states:
“Financial stability is critical to ensuring sustainable, quality long-term care for Medicare beneficiaries in nursing facilities. The men and women who work in these facilities, approximately 3.1 million Americans, are responsible for serving some of the frailest members of our society. We must ensure that the services they provide to Medicare beneficiaries are preserved.
“On behalf of our constituents who receive care in SNFs, we request the agency take a more measured approach and delay any proposed cuts pending a review of data from a full year. If, after reviewing additional data, CMS ultimately determines that comprehensive information supports the need to adjust payments to SNFs, then it should follow its common practice of implementing the reduction over a period of two or three years in order to reduce the potential impact on nursing facility services.”
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