FHCA Executive Director Emmett Reed gives a preview of week one of the 2012 legislative session and the priorities for long term care providers this year.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Bill that puts patients ahead of paperwork passes House subcommittee
On Thursday, the House Health & Human Services Quality Subcommittee heard HB 621 by Rep. Jim Frishe (R-54), the Nursing Home Quality Efficiency Act which eliminates some outdated reports and requirements in nursing homes which duplicate federal law/regulations. FHCA supports this bill which would help facilities alleviate some of the cost burdens that come with duplicative requirements and excessive paperwork, allowing staff more time to focus on resident care.
Rep. Frishe, Matt Hudson (R-101) and Ronald "Doc" Renuart (R-18) spoke favorably on this important issue, and during the meeting, Florida Catholic Conference and Florida Association of Homes and Services for the Aging stood in support of the bill. Standing in opposition were AARP, SEIU and the Florida Justice Association. Back and forth testimony during the meeting gave way to common misconceptions about the regulatory environments in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, causing Rep. Renuart to clarify for the committee and audience members present the differences between these two care settings, including the significant oversight process for nursing homes that have been in place since landmark elder care reform was passed in 2001 (SB 1202), which have resulted in substantial improvements in resident quality care.
The bill passed, and its companion, SB 482 by Sen. Jack Latvala (R-16), is expected to be heard in the Senate next week.
Rep. Frishe, Matt Hudson (R-101) and Ronald "Doc" Renuart (R-18) spoke favorably on this important issue, and during the meeting, Florida Catholic Conference and Florida Association of Homes and Services for the Aging stood in support of the bill. Standing in opposition were AARP, SEIU and the Florida Justice Association. Back and forth testimony during the meeting gave way to common misconceptions about the regulatory environments in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, causing Rep. Renuart to clarify for the committee and audience members present the differences between these two care settings, including the significant oversight process for nursing homes that have been in place since landmark elder care reform was passed in 2001 (SB 1202), which have resulted in substantial improvements in resident quality care.
The bill passed, and its companion, SB 482 by Sen. Jack Latvala (R-16), is expected to be heard in the Senate next week.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Protecting Medicaid funding, putting patients ahead of paper top FHCA's 2012 legislative agenda
Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) today released its priorities for the 2012 legislative session. Topping the list will be to prevent reductions to Medicaid funding for high-quality nursing home care, given the significant funding cuts long term care providers have experienced over the past six months. A 6.5 percent cut to nursing home Medicaid funding during the 2011 legislative session resulted in a $187.5 million reduction that took effect July 1, 2011. In October, federal regulation resulted in a $332 million cut to facilities’ Medicare reimbursements, and with Congress looking at more ways to reduce the federal deficit, facilities could see further reductions.
“Nursing homes have been hit with a tsunami of funding cuts to our Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements over the past six months,” said Emmett Reed, Executive Director of Florida Health Care Association, the state’s first and largest advocacy organization for long term care providers and the frail elders they serve. “If we see more cuts this session, many facilities will have to make difficult decisions which could restrict future access to care; our state’s seniors deserve better.”
Protecting Funding for Nursing Home Quality Care: Florida nursing homes lose an average of $23.97 per patient day or nearly $575,000 annually due to Medicaid under-funding. For a typical nursing home, 70 percent of costs pay for the staff working in the facility to deliver care, with 40 percent of those costs dedicated to direct-care workers. Funding cuts could mean layoffs for frontline caregivers and other employees at a time when Floridians need jobs. Lack of adequate funding could also mean sending seniors and people with disabilities to long term care hospitals or other higher cost settings for those services. With 60 percent of nursing home residents relying on Medicaid as their safety net for their long term health care needs, FHCA is urging legislators to preserve Medicaid funding to protect residents’ high-quality care, ensure future access to care and maintain the jobs of frontline caregivers.
Put Patients Ahead of Paperwork (HB 621/SB 482): Landmark elder care reform passed by the Florida Legislature in 2001 (SB 1202) has resulted in tougher regulation, increased staffing requirements and quality improvement and risk management programs, all of which are enforced through a combined state and federal survey process of the Agency for Health Care Administration. Nursing home care has steadily improved as a result. The benefits of improved oversight of the quality of care for residents, however, have resulted in duplicative requirements and regulations. FHCA supports HB 621 by Rep. Jim Frishe (R-54) and SB 482 by Sen. Jack Latvala (R-16) which would eliminate duplicative paperwork and outdated reports, allowing caregivers working in nursing homes to focus more time on providing resident quality care.
Alternative Funding Resources (HB 1055/SB 1756): FHCA supports SB 1756 by Sen. Joe Negron (R-28) and HB 1055 by Rep. Rachel Burgin (R-56), which would allow life insurance policies to be used for payment of long term care services and would help the state with its growing Medicaid budget deficit by providing alternative resources for individuals to pay for nursing home care.
“Our members are committed to caring for Florida’s most vulnerable population at a level of quality they expect and deserve,” Reed continued. “This session we’ll see hundreds of nursing home employees and family members join us at the Capitol as we continue educating lawmakers about the impact funding cuts are having on facilities' ability to maintain an adequate workforce and continue delivering high-quality care to our state's seniors.”
To learn more about FHCA’s 2012 legislative priorities, find resources to advocate for protecting Medicaid funding to nursing home care and learn more about being involved in FHCA’s Safeguard Our Seniors grassroots campaign, visit http://www.safeguardourseniors.org/
“Nursing homes have been hit with a tsunami of funding cuts to our Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements over the past six months,” said Emmett Reed, Executive Director of Florida Health Care Association, the state’s first and largest advocacy organization for long term care providers and the frail elders they serve. “If we see more cuts this session, many facilities will have to make difficult decisions which could restrict future access to care; our state’s seniors deserve better.”
Protecting Funding for Nursing Home Quality Care: Florida nursing homes lose an average of $23.97 per patient day or nearly $575,000 annually due to Medicaid under-funding. For a typical nursing home, 70 percent of costs pay for the staff working in the facility to deliver care, with 40 percent of those costs dedicated to direct-care workers. Funding cuts could mean layoffs for frontline caregivers and other employees at a time when Floridians need jobs. Lack of adequate funding could also mean sending seniors and people with disabilities to long term care hospitals or other higher cost settings for those services. With 60 percent of nursing home residents relying on Medicaid as their safety net for their long term health care needs, FHCA is urging legislators to preserve Medicaid funding to protect residents’ high-quality care, ensure future access to care and maintain the jobs of frontline caregivers.
Put Patients Ahead of Paperwork (HB 621/SB 482): Landmark elder care reform passed by the Florida Legislature in 2001 (SB 1202) has resulted in tougher regulation, increased staffing requirements and quality improvement and risk management programs, all of which are enforced through a combined state and federal survey process of the Agency for Health Care Administration. Nursing home care has steadily improved as a result. The benefits of improved oversight of the quality of care for residents, however, have resulted in duplicative requirements and regulations. FHCA supports HB 621 by Rep. Jim Frishe (R-54) and SB 482 by Sen. Jack Latvala (R-16) which would eliminate duplicative paperwork and outdated reports, allowing caregivers working in nursing homes to focus more time on providing resident quality care.
Alternative Funding Resources (HB 1055/SB 1756): FHCA supports SB 1756 by Sen. Joe Negron (R-28) and HB 1055 by Rep. Rachel Burgin (R-56), which would allow life insurance policies to be used for payment of long term care services and would help the state with its growing Medicaid budget deficit by providing alternative resources for individuals to pay for nursing home care.
“Our members are committed to caring for Florida’s most vulnerable population at a level of quality they expect and deserve,” Reed continued. “This session we’ll see hundreds of nursing home employees and family members join us at the Capitol as we continue educating lawmakers about the impact funding cuts are having on facilities' ability to maintain an adequate workforce and continue delivering high-quality care to our state's seniors.”
To learn more about FHCA’s 2012 legislative priorities, find resources to advocate for protecting Medicaid funding to nursing home care and learn more about being involved in FHCA’s Safeguard Our Seniors grassroots campaign, visit http://www.safeguardourseniors.org/
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Tell Congress to Oppose Reductions to Nursing Facility Bad Debt Reimbursement
Late last week, House Republicans released HR 3630, the Middle Class Tax Relief & Job Creation Act of 2011, which reduces nursing facility bad debt reimbursement. While the bill extends the payroll tax cut, extends the therapy caps exception process and provides the doc fix, it uses skilled nursing centers, as well as other providers, as a pay-for.
Florida facilities are struggling due to the funding reductions we’ve already sustained - $187.5 million to Medicaid and $332 million to Medicare in the past six months alone. HR 3630 threatens bad debt reimbursement for Florida nursing homes and will result in an estimated $172.8 million funding cut over the next three years. A reduction of this magnitude will seriously jeopardize our ongoing quality improvement efforts, put jobs of frontline caregivers at risk and threaten our state’s seniors and individuals’ with disabilities access to nursing home care.
The House could vote on this bill anyday, so please CLICK HERE to contact Congress and tell them to oppose the provision in the bill which reduces bad debt reimbursements for skilled nursing facilities!
Share this message with your coworkers, residents and their family members and ask them to do the same.
Florida’s nursing homes provide important health care services to seniors and people with disabilities and also provide secure jobs for over 259,000 citizens in our state. While real choices need to be made to help our country at this critical time, those choices should not overwhelmingly impact the Greatest Generation or those who care for them.
Florida facilities are struggling due to the funding reductions we’ve already sustained - $187.5 million to Medicaid and $332 million to Medicare in the past six months alone. HR 3630 threatens bad debt reimbursement for Florida nursing homes and will result in an estimated $172.8 million funding cut over the next three years. A reduction of this magnitude will seriously jeopardize our ongoing quality improvement efforts, put jobs of frontline caregivers at risk and threaten our state’s seniors and individuals’ with disabilities access to nursing home care.
The House could vote on this bill anyday, so please CLICK HERE to contact Congress and tell them to oppose the provision in the bill which reduces bad debt reimbursements for skilled nursing facilities!
Share this message with your coworkers, residents and their family members and ask them to do the same.
Florida’s nursing homes provide important health care services to seniors and people with disabilities and also provide secure jobs for over 259,000 citizens in our state. While real choices need to be made to help our country at this critical time, those choices should not overwhelmingly impact the Greatest Generation or those who care for them.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Governor's Budget Recommendations
Today, Gov. Rick Scott proposed a $66.4 billion budget for next year, down from this year's $69.1 billion budget. The budget contains no cuts to Medicaid funding for nursing home care. It restores previous cuts to education by $1 billion, would cut 2,800 actual filled state jobs "all over" government and would rely on cuts in health care spending and the prison system.
While the Governor's budget does not negatively impact nursing home funding, we want to remind our FHCA members that both the House and Senate will come out with their respective budgets not long after the session begins in January. It's important that we continue educating lawmakers about the impact the July 1st $187.5 million Medicaid cut, together with the October 1st $332 million Medicare cut, is having on facilities' ability to maintain an adequate workforce and continue delivering high-quality care to our state's seniors.
In the meantime, watch our video message by clicking here and learn how you can get involved this legislative session, which kicks off January 10, 2012. You'll hear from Sen. Thad Altman (R-24) as he shares his thoughts about the high-quality care delivered by and economic impact of Florida's long term care facilities. You'll also learn more about our 2012 legislative priorities and how you can get involved in our grassroots activities, including:
While the Governor's budget does not negatively impact nursing home funding, we want to remind our FHCA members that both the House and Senate will come out with their respective budgets not long after the session begins in January. It's important that we continue educating lawmakers about the impact the July 1st $187.5 million Medicaid cut, together with the October 1st $332 million Medicare cut, is having on facilities' ability to maintain an adequate workforce and continue delivering high-quality care to our state's seniors.
In the meantime, watch our video message by clicking here and learn how you can get involved this legislative session, which kicks off January 10, 2012. You'll hear from Sen. Thad Altman (R-24) as he shares his thoughts about the high-quality care delivered by and economic impact of Florida's long term care facilities. You'll also learn more about our 2012 legislative priorities and how you can get involved in our grassroots activities, including:
- 2012 Lobby Wednesdays - Click here to learn more.
- Get the Facts Campaign - Spread the word about these important LTC facts.
- Safeguard Our Seniors website - Find the tools you need to advocate for our profession.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
A Pre-Session Message from Emmett Reed
FHCA Executive Director Emmett Reed wants to encourage all those who work in and support long term care in Florida to get involved this legislative session, which kicks off January 10, 2012. Listen to his important message and hear what Sen. Thad Altman (R-24) shares about the high-quality care delivered by and economic impact of Florida's long term care facilities. You'll also learn more about our 2012 legislative priorities and how you can get involved in our grassroots activities.
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