Legislative Bulletin: Executive Budget Takes Aim at Nursing Homes and Long Term Care
In examining the Governor’s SFY 2019-2020 Executive Budget Proposal, grassroots advocacy is more important than ever.
Budget Targets Nursing Homes for Major Cut
The single largest cut proposed in the Executive Budget would alter how nursing home Medicaid rates are adjusted for acuity. The state expects the provision to save the state $122.8 Million annually, suggesting a provider impact of $245.6 million. While the impact will vary from home to home, on average it would reduce Medicaid rates by more than $9 per day. To assist members in estimating the magnitude of the cut on their home, LeadingAge NY has developed a template that can be downloaded here. While the Case Mix Index (CMI) used in the Medicaid rate would continue to be updated twice a year, the updates would be based on more complete data than results from the process used until 2018 that relies on two picture dates per year. We urge members to be aware of the potential financial impact of this change on their organization and be prepared to strongly advocate against this significant reduction.
LeadingAge New York’s Comprehensive Executive Budget Analysis
This week, LeadingAge NY published a memo summarizing in detail the health, Medicaid, and housing proposals included in the Governor’s SFY 2019-2020 Executive Budget. The document provides more detailed information on proposals affecting multiple service lines, service line-specific proposals, and other initiatives relevant to aging services providers.
Call and Schedule Your Advocacy Meetings Today!
Our February 5th Advocacy Day is rapidly approaching, and we need your voice and experience to educate lawmakers during State Budget negotiations. Advocacy Day meetings are valuable opportunities to demonstrate the impact of budget cuts and help build support for our policy agenda. You can click here to find your legislator and schedule a meeting today!
If you find that your legislators are not available on February 5th, you can always inquire about speaking with them “off the floor” (outside the Assembly or Senate Chamber) or suggest meeting with their top staff. Those who are unable to join us in Albany can request an appointment back in the district as well.
Urge Lawmakers to Include an SSI Increase for ACFs in This Year's Budget
There are over 13,000 aging New Yorkers who rely on Congregate Care Level 3 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to pay for the services they receive in adult care facilities (ACFs) and assisted living settings, at a rate of just over $41 per day per person. This reimbursement rate is roughly half of the average cost of providing ACF services, and as the minimum wage mandate is phased in, this gap will only grow. If ACFs close or cannot afford to continue to serve SSI/Medicaid-eligible seniors, more of these individuals will be placed in nursing homes at a higher cost to the State.
Click here to urge your legislators to increase the Level 3 SSI rate by at least $20 per day per resident and institute an annual cost of living adjustment to the State portion of the rate thereafter.
It’s Time to Invest in Senior Housing with Services
For many years, operators of senior housing have been able to access federal dollars for service coordinators through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Research has shown that service coordination in senior housing promotes emotional well-being and stronger social supports, higher resident awareness of services, and better linkages between residents and needed services. Unfortunately, the HUD funding never met the demand for service coordination across New York State and has been reduced significantly in recent years. Without state investment, this successful model may become extinct.
LeadingAge New York is asking that this year's state budget include a $10 million, five-year investment in an Affordable Senior Housing Resident Assistance Program. This $10 million would be used to bolster New York's historic commitment of $125 million to senior housing and would create a very cost-effective model for seniors to age in place. The model would also result in savings to the state's Medicaid program by keeping low-income seniors out of more costly levels of care, such as assisted living or nursing homes.
Now is the time to ask your legislators to invest in the Affordable Senior Housing Resident Assistance Program to enhance the lives of seniors aging in place.
More Budget Cuts: Reject the Transportation Carve Out of Rates Paid to ADHC
The 2019-2020 Executive Budget Proposal authorizes the Department of Health (DOH) to contract with Medicaid transportation brokers to manage all transportation of ADHC registrants and eliminates the transportation rates paid to ADHC providers and managed long-term care plans. This affects all ADHC programs that own their own vehicles or contract with vendors to transport registrants to and from programs (Method 1). The same proposal was successfully defeated in last year’s budget and we need your advocacy to defeat it once again.
Please contact your legislators today and urge them to reject this proposal!
35 Day Government Shutdown Comes to an End
This afternoon, President Trump announced that he will back a short-term funding bill to reopen the federal government that does not include funds to construct a wall along the southern border.
Ami Schnauber, aschnauber@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8854
Sarah Daly, sdaly@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8845