WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), which represents more than 15,000 nursing homes and long term care facilities across the country that provide care to approximately five million people each year, issued the following statement in reaction to the House of Representatives passing its reconciliation package.
Please attribute the following to
Clif Porter, President & CEO at AHCA/NCAL:“While we appreciate that the House of Representatives has sought to preserve the core functions of Medicaid, its decision to freeze provider taxes will still cause issues for seniors and individuals with disabilities in nursing homes. Medicaid already underfunds long term care, and states rely on provider taxes to help bridge the gap and protect access to care. With nearly two out of every three nursing home residents relying on Medicaid for their daily care, nothing could be more sacred than preserving this funding.
“We now urge the Senate to restore the flexibility to the states around provider taxes and protect seniors from devastation any cuts will cause. Medicaid must have proper resources and states must have proper adaptability to meet their obligations. This legislative process may be long and compromise may be challenging, but the one thing senators must not compromise is Medicaid for our nation's most vulnerable and growing elderly population."
To learn more about the role of Medicaid in covering long term care for seniors and individuals with disabilities, visit the
AHCA/NCAL website.