LeadingAge Florida, Florida’s only association representing the entire continuum of care for older adults, issued a statement following the Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services release of the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 committee budget proposal.
The following statement is attributable to President and CEO Steve Bahmer.
“We’re grateful to the Senate leadership for their continued investment in long-term care and their recognition of the continually increasing costs in Florida’s nursing homes. Their proposal includes critical funding that will help ensure the highest quality care for Florida seniors.
In conjunction with the new proposed funding for quality, we also support adjustments to the nursing home funding system that prioritize funding for direct care.
These adjustments are more appropriate now than ever before due to the staffing crisis and the legislative directive to increase wages to a minimum of $15 per hour for all staff in nursing homes. Prioritizing direct care, as opposed to other elements of the prospective payment system, will provide more funding to high-quality providers who invest more in direct patient care.
This system change would reinforce that the people caring for our nursing home residents are the most significant factor in the delivery of quality of care, and the funding system should recognize the importance of these caregivers.”
