DETAILS ABOUT THE BILL

• This is an ALR Quality Reporting bill
• This bill was passed by both houses earlier this year
• This bill would require assisted living residences (ALRs) to report annually on quality measures to be established by the Department of Health (DOH), in consultation with sector and consumer representatives

WE ARE FIGHTING AGAINST THIS.

• We are urging Governor Hochul and the DOH to extend the bill’s timeframes by one year. The timeframes established by the legislation don’t provide the state or stakeholders enough time to implement a new quality reporting system that truly serves consumers.

WE NEED YOUR HELP TODAY!

It only takes a few seconds to send the letter!

• CLICK HERE to send an email letter to the Governor & DOH today. Urge them to extend the implementation timeframes for new ALR quality reporting measures by ONE YEAR! 

For almost 140 years, Heritage has remained a backbone of healthcare in our county by providing skilled care and rehabilitation and reducing hospital burden. Our services allow seniors to age in place through assisted and independent living, all to better serve you and your loved ones.

Over the past four years, under new leadership, I am proud of our teams, who have worked tirelessly. From stabilizing operations, and reducing inherited legacy debt, our teams have fought for appropriate reimbursements, in a state that historically has not prioritized healthcare and has fallen behind (NYS is listed 46th in our nation*). Concurrently, we have weathered the economic impact of inflation.

Amidst these challenges, our teams have made significant progress, such as welcoming residents and employees after Lutheran’s skilled nursing closed, enhancing services and our CNA program, introducing Chautauqua County’s first NYS Paid Feeding Program, investing into emerging leaders, ending services with out of state entities, and advocating for stronger support on the national and state level, to name just a few.

We continue to persevere after impacts of the pandemic and reduction of legacy debt. Initial progress as we transform and emerge include transportation services, enhanced therapy, and workforce development. We also prioritized community partnerships with UPMC, local colleges, and Family Health Medical Services, to name a few.

However, like many assisted living and skilled nursing communities across the country, we’re facing financial challenges. Rising costs, stagnant reimbursement rates from Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers, and increases in punitive measures from the state have made it challenging to maintain fiscal stability.

While I am committed to bringing to light the unique challenges we face in Chautauqua County by serving on national boards, Heritage remains the top quality provider, with awards ranging from LeadingAge, NYS, Buffalo Business First, and Pandion.

*Sited from Gov. Hochul’s State of the State Address

THE PROBLEM

• There is a $1.6 billion gap between the cost of the nursing home care in New York and Medicaid reimbursement.
• There are 5,600 fewer nursing home beds available today than there were in 2019. Meanwhile, the number of older New Yorkers who will need services is growing.
• In 2022, 70% of nursing homes had a negative operating margin – a significant jump from 45% in 2021.
• Negative operating margins significantly hinder nursing homes’ ability to recruit and retain staff.
• Lack of staff limits a home’s ability to accept patients seeking to be discharged from local hospitals.
• Reduced nursing home capacity contributes to overflowing hospitals and overcrowded emergency rooms, limiting access to care for ALL New Yorkers. 

• 4% Medicaid increase: This means we still have a major gap in funding for nursing homes that rely on Medicaid to care for residents, like Heritage.
• No Medication Aides: This means no additional staff trained to distribute medications to residents, which continues to put a strain on existing nursing home staff.
• 10% capital reimbursement cut: This means it is harder for nursing homes to afford maintenance and upgrades to facilities.
• VAPAP funding cut: This program helps low-income residents access essential medications. A funding cut will limit their access to these medications.
• Medicaid rate freeze based on July 2023 rates: This does not reflect the rising costs of operating the facilities who care for our residents, increasing the stress and cuts to budgets.
• No update to nursing home rates: Without a mandated update, nursing home rates might not keep pace with inflation, making it harder to cover costs and potentially impacting quality of care.

There will continue to be a shortfall between the cost of care and Medicaid reimbursement rates for a population that relies on Medicaid to provide their care. Without these vital increases, nursing homes across the state will continue to face the same hardships and continue a trend of closing in the places they are needed most. The lack of necessary change to financial support for our industry by New York State is negligent. In one fell swoop, Heritage, and the seniors we serve, and their needs, were once more neglected, ignored, and disrespected. Click here to read a full statement from Lisa Haglund, CEO of Heritage.

Rural healthcare in Chautauqua County needs your voice now!

New York is seeking input from older adults, individuals, and caregivers on the Master Plan for Aging (MPA). The Master Plan for Aging is designed to ensure that older adults and individuals of all ages can live healthy, fulfilling lives while aging with dignity and independence.

“Rural America Is Losing Nursing Homes, and Small Towns Are Reeling” 
The loss of long-term-care facilities – and the “deserts” they leave behind – has cascading economic implications for communities.
-Bloomberg; October 11, 2023

“The federal aid directed at hospitals and nursing homes during the early part of the pandemic temporarily covered up the fundamental problems with the industry’s economics, says Kelly Arduino, head of the health-care practice at advisory firm Wipfli. With government assistance winding down, there will be more financial distress and closures. “It’s only going to get worse,” she says. “We all see it coming. We don’t see a mechanism for how to fix it.”

“Across the country, almost 690 nursing homes have shut their doors since 2020, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The American Health Care Association, an industry trade group, expects the number to keep ticking up in the coming years, because of a combination of rising labor costs, falling enrollments and government reimbursements that fall far short of paying the bills…”

SKILLED NURSING/NURSING HOMES

@GovKathyHochul MUST provide meaningful funding to NY Nursing Homes in this year’s budget! A 1% Medicaid increase after years of cuts is not enough. Nursing Homes need resources to be able to compete for staff and serve residents. All seniors deserve better. #SupportOurSeniors

@GovKathyHochul ALL seniors deserve better funding and support from the state. Nearly 75% of nursing home care is paid for by Medicaid; the rest is mostly Medicare. Better staffing in nursing homes requires better funding than a 1% increase to inadequate rates. #SupportOurSeniors

@GovKathyHochul No funding has been provided to enable nursing homes to meet new staffing mandates, which ignore the reality of the healthcare workforce crisis. We need funding and support for nursing homes, not penalties! We must do better.

@GovKathyHochul NY nursing homes need over 12,000 new nurses and aides to comply with the 3.5 nurse hour mandate. Homes cannot reach this shared goal of enhanced staffing without a substantial Medicaid increase to recruit them. Please #SupportOurSeniors in this budget!

ASSISTED LIVING

@GovKathyHochul State funding is going to Broadway, bars and the Bills, but not for needed COVID relief funding to adult care facilities and assisted living. Don’t leave these residents and staff behind. Please #SupportOurSeniors!

@GovKathyHochul After 14 years without a Medicaid increase, New York’s assisted living programs need more than a 1% increase. Low-income older adults living in these settings deserve better. Please #SupportOurSeniors in the final budget!

Heritage thanks you for your support and engagement, as this vital work can only be done with full community support. To see a full recap of our efforts with our policy partners, Leading Age New York, click here.