Front-Line Long Term Caregivers From 16 States Hit Capitol Hill to Urge Congress to Protect Medicare, Medicaid-Funded Nursing Home Care for Nation's Most Vulnerable Elderly During the Ongoing Federal Fiscal Debate

As Critical Debt Ceiling and Deficit Reduction Discussions Continue, Coalition to Protect Senior Care (CPSC) Says Quality Care, Local Health Jobs Directly Linked to Stable Funding

WASHINGTON, June 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Fanning out today on Capitol Hill to lobby members of the U.S. House and Senate, front-line caregivers from 16 states said that the eventual outcome of critical debt ceiling and deficit reduction discussions will have a direct, immediate impact on seniors' ongoing access to quality nursing home care and the jobs of the key staff who make the critical difference in patient outcomes.

"The current debate surrounding the debt ceiling and deficit reduction must consider the impact to U.S. seniors' ongoing access to quality nursing home care as well as the jobs of the front line caregivers here on Capitol Hill today," stated Lisa Cantrell, national spokesperson for the CPSC, and co-founder of the National Association of Health Care Assistants (NAHCA) located in Joplin, MO. "Facilities like those we work in across the nation are often the largest employer in many communities, especially in rural America, and are as vital to the local jobs base as they are vital to seniors' care." The Coalition to Protect Senior Care (CPSC) is a national coalition of health care assistants, long-term care nurses, certified nursing assistants and others who deliver around-the-clock, front-line care to seniors.

Continued Cantrell, "The stakes have never been higher, and the need for Medicare and Medicaid funding stability has never been more essential to preserving quality care, local jobs and the enormous value associated with a strong, dynamic and growing front-line care workforce. We respectfully ask our Congressional leaders for their continued help in this regard as we carry out our vital mission on behalf of Members' most vulnerable elderly constituents."

Front-line caregivers representing Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, New Mexico, Rhode Island and West Virginia conveyed this message to U.S. House and Senate members.

Wendell Anderson, a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) from Phoenix, AZ emphasized the strong inter-relationship to Medicare and Medicaid funding when it comes to delivering patient care, and stressed the fragility of her state's Medicaid program. She pointed out the differential between the actual cost of providing quality care and what Medicaid actually reimburses facilities in her state is $8.67 per patient day, according to a recent Eljay study. "Seventy percent of our facility budget is directly related to staffing. Our country is not going to be able to provide high quality care to our elderly without a strong, well trained and committed workforce.  Those of us here today represent the rest of our colleagues back in skilled nursing facilities caring for our elderly as we speak.  We are also the voices of seniors who depend on us to be there for them," Anderson said. Nationally, the Eljay study finds the differential between the actual cost of providing quality care and what Medicaid actually reimburses facilities is $17.33 per patient day.

Sherylle Chambers from Tampa FL said, "While quality patient care hinges on stable funding, jobs and the very well-being of our communities are also at stake.  People need jobs and skilled nursing care can be a great employer for many of us who need a paycheck, but who also want to do something for our community and our seniors." Second only to hospitals as the state's largest health facility employer, Florida's skilled nursing facilities generate $11.6 billion in state economic activity annually, help support 145,114 jobs statewide, employ 95,007 workers, and are a major local employer of key front-line care staff. (Source: Avalere Health LLC).

According to Vicki Gilbert, a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) at Sunbridge Health Care in Louisville, KY, strong Medicaid and Medicare funding are needed to maintain ongoing quality improvement programs now benefitting seniors. "Front-line care is a 24/7/365 effort and we have a total commitment to our patients, whom we treat as family members. Our most vulnerable frail, elderly and disabled patients deserve the best care, and we will continue to do whatever we can do to help ensure this is always the case. Now is the time we need help most from our elected officials."

Among the Coalition to Protect Senior Care membership are: American Association for Long Term Care Nursing (AALTCN) -- Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care -- American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA) -- American Health Care Association (AHCA) -- American Health Quality Association (AHQA) -- American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) -- American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) -- American Society of Health Care Administration Executives (ASHCAE) -- Coalition of Women in Long Term Care (COWL) -- National Association of Health Care Assistants (NAHCA) -- National Association for the Support of Long Term Care (NASL) -- National Rural Health Association -- Senior Clinician Group.

To learn more, visit www.coalitiontoprotectseniorcare.org.

SOURCE Coalition to Protect Senior Care