Citizens for Long Term Care Set Priorities

Feb. 14, 2003 – Citizens for Long Term Care, whose goal is long-term care financing reform, has established six priorities for the next two years, according to a statement from Hon. David Durenberger, chairman. Following is his statement.

Strategic Plan 2003-2004:

In a series of meetings beginning in December 2002 Citizens For Long Term Care’s Board of Directors developed six priorities that constitute Citizens For Long Term Care’s advocacy strategy for 2003-2004. They are:

·Support bipartisan state fiscal relief initiatives aimed at averting cuts in Medicaid long term care coverage and reimbursement.

·Link and support necessary efforts to assure adequate reimbursement levels for long term care services (provider payment enhancements) with initiatives to promote enhanced staffing levels and better outcomes.

·Ensure that any reform of Medicaid first include a recognition of and policy that supports the needs of long term care consumers, providers, and public and private payers; support a more rational and cost effective management of health care services utilized by dual eligibles

·Search for better ways to improve quality and compensate for harm; promote efforts to reduce medical errors as one way to reduce liability exposure, as well as to improve care

·Advocate that Medicare reforms include substantial and effective steps toward better coverage of chronic care that accent chronicity treatment, prevention, delay, and reversal and therefore delay or decrease the need for long term care in particular persons; urge that MedPAC be tasked to develop analyses and recommendations in this area. Support and, where appropriate, make permanent, demonstrations consistent with our vision, including approaches that better integrate long term care with acute care services and reimbursement streams; in addition, advocate that HHS expand its current primary care projects to include treatment of chronic conditions, an enhanced focus on home health, and the integration of mental/behavioral health with acute care.

·Support adequately funded tax credits that provide direct financial support for the chronically ill and their caregivers, advocate for continued improvement of private long term care products, and support enhanced incentives for the purchase of quality private long term care insurance products.

The Directors of CLTC are determined through their associations and in conjunction with CLTC to achieve legislative success on these issues over the next two years. To begin the process CLTC is hosting a press conference on February 21, 2003.

February 21st Kick-Off Event: Citizens’ leadership has elected to show support for our nation’s governors, mayors and state elected officials in their plea for federal assistance to help stimulate the state/local economies and to guarantee access to long term care services and supports. On February 21st Citizens For Long Term Care is holding a press event at the National Press Club to voice our collective belief regarding the need for immediate and substantial federal Medicaid relief in order to prevent further cuts in service and to maintain access to current services. The press event occurs the day prior to the annual Winter Meeting of the National Governors Association, who will also be addressing the issue of Medicaid relief throughout the four-day conference.

Medicaid cuts in nearly every state nationwide are having a negative impact on access to quality care for our most vulnerable citizens. Our federal government must provide short term stability to ensure economic security for our states and health care security for our frail elderly and people with disabilities. Citizens has issued invitations to several governors and representatives of state and local governments to participate in this event with us.

State-based Follow Up: During the week beginning Monday February 24th through Friday the 28th Citizens will work with organizations in several states to produce events that reinforce our messages. Among the states under consideration are: Illinois, Louisiana, Iowa, and Tennessee. Organizations or individuals in these states that wish to assist or be involved can contact CLTC’s Executive Director, Patrick Brady at patrick.brady@citizensforltc.org

Materials will also be made available to CLTC organizations, as well as other interested parties in the effort to place special emphasis on a second tier of states. The materials will include detailed state impact data such as planned Medicaid cuts for that state, or current state Medicaid under funding data as well as easily customized press releases.

CLTC Workforce Paper Available Online: Citizens For Long Term Care’s latest paper, Long Term Care Financing and the Long Term Care Workforce Crisis: Causes and Solutions, which was recently finished is available in hard copy or at Citizens website. The link is http://www.citizensforltc.org/whitepapers.html. If you would like a hard copy of the paper please contact Patrick Brady.

Congressional Hearings: The House’s Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health has committed to undertaking a series of hearings to explore Medicaid reform. Citizens has been actively communicating with the Members who sit on the subcommittee as well as their staff our belief that any substantive discussion of Medicaid must include a recognition of and serious focus on long term care’s role in Medicaid. We also urge supporters to contact the Representatives on the subcommittee to stress the importance of including a thorough examination of LTC in the course of the hearings. Here is the subcommittee home page: http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/subcommittees/Health.htm

Membership: At Citizens’ annual Board of Directors Meeting in December 2002 Citizens welcomed Teresa M. Klaassen, founder of Sunrise Assisted Living as its newest Director. CLTC’s leadership is deeply honored to have one of the assisted living industries most prominent members join Citizens. We look forward to her insight and knowledge contributing to the continued development of CLTC.

The following organizations have recently renewed their membership in Citizens for 2003. We deeply appreciated their support and confidence in our ability to continue to push the long term care dialogue. Our thanks go out to:
·   The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society
·   Clearbrook
·   Metropolitan Jewish Health System
·   Sunrise Assisted Living
·   New Hope Community
·   National Academy of Elder Law
·   AARP
·   St. Andrew's Resources for Seniors

I would like to express my sincere thanks for those organizations that continue to support Citizens’ efforts and continually offer us new ideas and feedback; without your support our effort would not have achieved the success it has to date.

Hon. David Durenberger
Chairman
Citizens For Long Term Care

The purpose of CLTC is to raise the need for comprehensive long term care financing reform within the public debate at all levels of government and business so that nonpartisan reform becomes a priority among public and private leaders with leadership and support from the President of the United States.