With increased costs due to inflation, exorbitant temporary staffing agency fees, and efforts to compete with high sign-on bonuses from hospitals and increased wages in other industries, nursing homes are simply not able to keep up. They also continue to face increased costs and inflation on necessary goods, contracts, and services. The result?
- Providers are unable to accept admissions for available beds.
- Increased burden for seniors needing access to these critical services.
- Increased financial burden on private pay residents to receive care.
Given the number of older adults who will need care at this level in the coming years, LeadingAge PA is advocating for a $70 million investment in his FY 2024-25 state budget proposal to increase nursing facility reimbursement rates ($40 million toward year-two staffing requirements and $30 million to help cover additional costs and inflation).
The budget process now falls to the legislature, as both House and Senate appropriation committees discuss the issues the state faces and how to fund them. Your state legislators need to hear from you. As a resident of an aging services community, you are uniquely positioned to speak about the real, immediate impact that a funding increase will have.
To maximize the impact of our advocacy efforts, we encourage you to edit the template email provided by sharing your own personal stories and experience as to why this funding increase is needed and what your community means to you.