Protect Medicaid Funding for Nursing Center Care
FHCA Executive Director Emmett Reed issued the following statement regarding the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee budget exercise which, in the first scenario, held nursing centers harmless from Medicaid funding cuts. The second scenario proposed a $75 million funding cut to nursing center care.
“We appreciate that Chairman Brodeur didn’t include us in their first tier of budget cuts; however, a $75 million reduction to nursing centers’ Medicaid reimbursement represents a significant threat to Florida’s long term care sector. Medicaid already underfunds our state’s nursing centers by $14 per patient per day, or almost $325,000 per center annually. High quality care and adequate funding go hand in hand, and with nearly 60 percent of the residents in our centers depending on Medicaid to cover their long term care needs, our state’s nursing centers simply can’t sustain any more reductions. We hope the House recognizes the importance of preserving Medicaid funding for nursing center care and keeps our funding intact when the final budget is released.”
ABOUT FLORIDA HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION
Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) is a federation that serves almost 1,000 members and represents more than 500 long term care centers that provide skilled nursing, post-acute and sub-acute care, short-term rehab, assisted living and other services to the frail elderly and individuals with disabilities in Florida. The mission of FHCA is to advance the quality of services, image, professional development and financial stability of its members. As Florida’s first and largest advocacy organization for long term care providers and the elderly they serve, the Association has worked diligently since 1954 to assist its members with continuously improving quality of care and quality of life for the state’s growing elder care population. For more information about Florida Health Care Association, visit http://www.fhca.org.
