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Community Businesses Impacted by Looming Cuts to Long Term Care Federal Funding

Posted on: Thursday, 28 May 2009, 11:51 CDT

Form Coalition to Mobilize Support for Local LTC Economies

WASHINGTON, May 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- CoCares, a national coalition designed and launched this week as the voice and advocate in Washington, DC for community businesses and organizations that support the long term care industry by providing vital services directly and tangentially related to the care of the nation's elderly, announced today its opposition to any loss of federal funding that could threaten the viability of local economies often dependent on long term care facilities that serve as core contributors to business communities. CoCares has already gained major support and recognition from key partners, communities, and organizations across the U.S.

"My company serves over 300 long term care facilities throughout the state of California and we understand, first hand, the federal funding challenges faced by providers and caregivers that take care of our elderly through all levels of care," said Tiffany Karlin, CEO of Accurate Business Results, a healthcare consulting firm based in Long Beach specializing in Medicare and Medicaid cost report preparation for skilled nursing facilities and a CoCares member. "Long term care is my business and we provide essential reimbursement and healthcare operational services to providers who need our expertise. My team hears the challenges faced by our clients and recognizes the importance that our President and elected officials identify the depth and expanse of their policy decisions. It is their decisions that directly affect the livelihood of not just the long term care providers, but also businesses like mine who support them."

CoCares was established to raise awareness that cuts in Medicare or Medicaid funding not only compromises patient care and effective programs for nursing homes but also directly and indirectly diminishes sustainable jobs and economic vitality in states and communities. Additionally, organizers are using the coalition to educate elected officials about the direct impact decisions made in Washington, DC will have on their constituents and local economies.

"Staff that work in the long term care industry make a positive difference everyday in the lives of the residents who live in our country's nursing and assisted living facilities - both the staff who care and the residents who made our country what it is today deserve to be recognized and included in the health care reform discussions," noted Gail E. Rader, Founder of Care Perspectives, Inc. a consulting firm located in Philipsburg, New Jersey specializing in the education and training of long term care staff on administrative policy and regulatory matters.

Nationwide, the long term care industry provides almost two million jobs and employers anticipate filling more vacancies further stimulating local economies. CoCares emphasizes that preserving and strengthening Medicare and Medicaid is the key toward ensuring that patients receive high quality nursing home care or care in assisted living settings. Nursing homes account for approximately 1% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Not only do cuts to Medicare and Medicaid impact patient care, but thousands of jobs are at stake.

"Main Healthcare Pharmacy is a long term care pharmacy serving rural Iowa where many long term care facilities are the major employers, " said CoCares member Mark McMullen, RPh, CGP, Certified Geriatric Pharmacist for Main Healthcare Pharmacy in Bettendorf, Iowa. "Many businesses that supply long term care goods and services that providers and facility residents cannot do without will also face the consequences of massive Medicare funding cuts."

The impact of nursing homes and assisted living affects jobs, services provided by vendors in the community such as pharmacies, insurance agencies, the tax base, and so on. Long term care is an important source of jobs and economic vitality in an environment where jobs are hard to come by. Currently there are over 100,000 vacancies in long term care and therefore, ensuring a stable source of Medicare and Medicaid funding is extremely important to the future of our local communities' sustainability.

The Community Cares Coalition consists of Accurate Business Results, LLC, Afton Care Center, Akron Care Center, Inc., Arbor Springs, Arizona Assoc. of Health Plans, Arizona Health Care Assoc., Belle Plaine Nursing & Rehab Center, Bettendorf Health Care

Buena Vista Manor Care Center, CA Assoc. of Health Facilities - CAHF, Care Initiatives

Care Initiatives, Inc, Care Perspectives Inc., Care West Insurance Risk Mgmt, Careage Of Clarion, Carroll Health Center, CCMSI, Community Memorial Health Center, Consonus Healthcare, CopperSands Inc., Corning Nursing and Rehab Center, Danville Care Center

DHCFA, Donnellson Health Center, Dubuque Nursing & Rehabiltation Center, Elm Heights Care Center, Evergreen Estates, Faith Lutheran Home, Friendship Home Association, Gardenview Care Center, Good Samaritan Society - Red and Villisca, Good Samaritan Society Algona. Good Samaritan Society of Red Oak, Good Samaritan Society-Holstein

Good Samaritan Society-Hovenden of Laurens, Good Samaritan Society-Manson

Good Samartian Society-Newell, Grand Haven Retirement Community, Gulf South Medical Supply, Inc., HealthMEDX, Heritage Care Center, Iowa Falls, Home Instead Senior Care, Iowa Healthcare Assoc & IA Center for Assisted Living, Jersey Ridge Place Assisted Living Community, Kingsley Nursing and Rehab Center, Lansing Housing Corporation

Longhouse-Northshire, Louisiana Nursing Home Assoc., Main Healthcare Pharmacy

Marian Home, Methodist Manor Retirement Community, Millennium Rehab & Consulting

Montrose Health Center, Muscatine Care Center, National Association for the Support of Long Term Care, National Center for Assisted Living, New Hampton Care Center

New Hampton Care Center, Northern Hills Retirement Community, ONR, Inc.

Otsego Place, Panora Nursing & Rehab Center, Park Place, Pleasant View Care Center.

SOURCE American Health Care Association

Source: PR Newswire

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