Communities

StoneGate Senior Living, LLC Works To Improve Funding For Texas’ Elderly Population

March 10, 2017

StoneGate Senior Living, LLC leaders met in Austin with Texas state legislators to ask for their support of Senate Bill 1130, the Nursing Facility Reinvestment Allowance (NFRA), and Senate Bill 890 that would establish a moratorium on Medicaid beds in the state.

NFRA is a budget-neutral program that allows Texas to draw-down additional Federal dollars to improve the care and service provided to long-term care Medicaid residents in nursing facilities across the state.

The ALEC-Laffer State Economic Outlook Rankings 2016 ranked Texas as the nation’s 12th most favorable state economy. Despite Texas’ robust growth and economic health, it currently ranks 48th of 50 states in payment for long-term care Medicaid residents in nursing facilities. StoneGate leaders offered state representative and senators the NFRA solution, which will improve funding of care for Texas frail elderly population with no increase in taxes. 43 states already utilize programs similar to NFRA.

Senate Bill (SB) 890 would establish a moratorium on new Medicaid beds in Texas. SB 890 will give lawmakers and health care regulators a chance to slow down growth and examine how to better meet the needs of an aging state while making best use of Medicaid dollars. Texas’ current low occupancy rate in nursing facilities – 70% versus 88% nationally – drives increased costs and dilutes the workforce.

“StoneGate believes that every person deserves comfort, dignity and quality care regardless of their socioeconomic circumstances. Enacting NFRA will allow StoneGate and other Texas long-term care providers to improve care provided to long-term care residents in the state’s Medicaid program,” says Eddie Parades, StoneGate’s SVP Government Affairs. “It’s important to remember that these are veterans of foreign wars, retired teachers, community leaders, mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles… We tend to talk about these things in terms of budgets and financial impact, and it’s important to remember the compassionate human element that’s at stake in the NFRA bill.”

StoneGate leaders met with Rep. Dewayne Burrows, Lubbock; Rep. Trent Ashby, Lufkin; Sen. Lois Kolhorst, Brenham; Rep. Gary VanDeaver, New Boston; Sen. Bryan Hughes, Mineola; Rep. Lance Gooden, Terrell; Sen. Brian Birdwell, Granbury; Sen. John Whitmire, Houston; Sen. Kelly Hancock, North Richland Hills; Rep. Rodney Anderson, Grand Prairie; Rep. Garnet Coleman, Houston; Rep. Stephanie Klick, Fort Worth; Rep. Pat Fallon, Frisco; Rep. Matt Schaefer, Tyler; Rep. Yvonne Davis, Dallas; Rep. Jay Dean, Longview; Sen. Charles Perry, Lubbock; Sen. Van Taylor, Plano; Rep. Jodie Laubenberg, Wylie; Rep. Jason Villalba, Dallas; Sen. Bob Hall, Canton; and, Rep. Kevin Roberts, Houston.

Related Articles

Back to top button