Agape Long Term Care

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Statement of Bruce Yarwood, President & CEO
American Health Care Association & National Center for Assisted Living

Contact: Susan Feeney
(202) 898-6333

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

1/28/2008�

“During his annual State of the Union Address, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living urge President Bush to highlight the critical issue of long term care and the need for reform in order to ensure continued high quality care and services for our frail, elderly and disabled Americans.� This is a rare opportunity for the President to raise awareness and exhibit leadership on an issue that directly impacts the lives and care for our parents and grandparents today, but also for the Baby Boomer generation who will require such long term care services in the not too distant future.”

“In addition to comprehensive reform, it is incumbent upon policy leaders to take actions now to address the economic downturn which impacts all aspects of our society, including long term care providers.� Therefore, in making a final decision regarding the key components of the pending economic stimulus package, we respectfully urge the Administration to heed a growing number of leading Republican and Democratic Governors and Members of Congress who, like us, believe that a temporary increase in states’ federal Medical assistance percentage (FMAP) would serve as a needed insurance policy to protect vulnerable seniors’ care as states brace for an economic downturn.”

The American Health Care Association represents nearly 11,000 non-profit and proprietary facilities dedicated to continuous improvement in the delivery of professional and compassionate care provided daily by millions of caring employees to 1.5 million of our nation’s frail, elderly and disabled citizens who live in nursing facilities, assisted living residences, subacute centers and homes for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities.� For more information, please visit www.ahca.org.

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) has called for a national investigation into the way states handle complaints of poor nursing care. He acted after receiving a serious complaint regarding a nursing/rehab center from a constituent.

The senator said that an investigation into a negligence claim by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals was “wholly inadequate.” Sandra Bickley, the daughter of a nursing home resident, complained because she believed her mother was poorly treated in a nursing home in Waterloo, and the department found no problems with the care.�

Grassley is asking the Government Accountability Office to look at all state agencies like the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals and how they respond to nursing home related complaints. He also is asking the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to give him four years of reports dealing with state inspections.

Under pressure from labor and senior groups, Democratic senators are pushing to add rebates for seniors living off Social Security to an economic stimulus package.

The House and president last week agreed on a proposal to provide rebates to 117 million families and give businesses $50 billion in incentives to invest in new plants and equipment. AARP reportedly said that the $150 billion House package leaves out some 20 million seniors.

The Senate Finance Committee could meet to discuss a new draft of the proposal on Wednesday. So far, the proposal does not include an increase to states’ Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP). The American Health Care Association, a nursing home lobbying group, has publicly expressed its interest in such an increase to help ensure seniors’ access to Medicaid during a possible downturn in the economy.�

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