Washington, D.C. — The
American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) President
and CEO Mark Parkinson today issued the folowing statement regarding the MedPAC Report to
Congress:
“This
MedPAC report confirms what many providers experience every day. Skilled
nursing providers are operating on razor thin margins. MedPAC’s report that non
Medicare margins are negative 2.3% and total margins have plummeted to .7%
should sound the alarms for policy makers across the country.
In
recent months, the financial challenges for some of the largest providers in
the country reached a boiling point. With providers declaring bankruptcy, and
in some cases, closing their doors, seniors and individuals with disabilities
will face limited options for care.
Our
nation is at a critical juncture. Providing adequate reimbursement and
reasonable regulation must be the priority for our policy makers. As a country,
we need to decide if we are going to take care of our elderly and individuals
with disabilities.”
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ABOUT AHCA/NCAL
The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living
(AHCA/NCAL) represents more than 13,600 non-profit and proprietary skilled
nursing centers, assisted living communities, post-acute centers and homes for
individuals with intellectual and development disabilities. By delivering
solutions for quality care, AHCA/NCAL aims to improve the lives of the millions
of frail, elderly and individuals with disabilities who receive long term or
post-acute care in our member facilities each day. For more information, please
visit www.ahca.org or www.ncal.org.