LeadingAge PA Applauds Historic Investment in Long-Term Care for Seniors
MECHANICSBURG, Pa. (July 8, 2022) – LeadingAge PA, an association representing more than 360 senior services providers, today thanked the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Gov. Tom Wolf for their historic investment in the 2022-23 state budget, providing a 17.5% rate increase in direct aid to nursing homes—the first across-the-board Medicaid funding increase in nearly a decade. This Medicaid funding increase is effective Jan. 1, 2023, with over $131 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding also included to help bridge the gap.
“These historic steps come at a time when long-term care providers continue to battle unprecedented challenges due to the pandemic,” said LeadingAge PA President and CEO Garry Pezzano. “On behalf of LeadingAge PA, I want to thank members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the governor for working with us and other stakeholders on this crucial investment. The legislature and the administration showed tremendous leadership in helping us begin charting a course toward a return to stability in our ongoing mission to provide accessible, high-quality care for Pennsylvania’s growing senior population. Finally, thank you to our members for raising their collective voices and joining LeadingAge PA in advocating for the older adults they serve.”
Pennsylvania nursing homes, which were already struggling from years of Medicaid underfunding, are facing workforce and funding shortages like never before. In 2019-2020 alone, flat funding led to a nearly $1.2-billion loss that hurt nursing homes’ ability to admit new residents, as well as retain and attract talented staff. In addition, while the number of older Pennsylvanians continues to increase, the number of skilled nursing beds pulled offline grew fourfold from 2019 to 2021, according to a recent member survey conducted LeadingAge PA.
“Pennsylvania’s long-term care providers have struggled for too long with dwindling resources that threaten to severely limit the aging population’s access to care,” Pezzano said. “Pennsylvanians deserve the best long-term care system in America. Today, we took an important step toward achieving that goal.”
# # #
About LeadingAge PA
LeadingAge PA is a trade association representing 360+ high-quality senior housing, health care and community services across the commonwealth. These providers serve more than 75,000 older Pennsylvanians and employ over 50,000 dedicated caregivers on a daily basis. Services our members offer include Life Plan Communities/Continuing Care Retirement Communities, skilled nursing communities, assisted living residences, personal care homes, and affordable senior housing. LeadingAge PA advocates on behalf of our members at the state and local levels to influence positive change and affect a healthy vision for the delivery of quality, affordable, and ethical care for Pennsylvania’s seniors. For more information, visit www.LeadingAgePA.org.
Media Contact:
La Torre Communications for LeadingAge PA
David La Torre
david@latorrecommunications.com