Long Term Care Wins as False Attacks Fall Flat with Voters

March 7, 2018
Contact: Jim Suydam, 512-417-5382

Long term care wins as false attacks fall flat with voters

Texans re-elect incumbents attacked for vote to improve long term care

(AUSTIN, Texas) — Efforts to mislead voters about a quality-based funding bill vote during the 2017 state legislative session fell flat on Tuesday night as voters overwhelmingly re-elected legislators who had been targets of the deceptive attacks. Accused of allowing a “granny tax,” those targeted had supported a measure during the session to provide funding to improve nursing home care in the state.
“Incumbents targeted with the ‘granny tax’ attack hit back with real facts about a bill based on a solid policy,” said Kevin Warren, president and CEO of the Texas Health Care Association.

Letters and political fliers mailed to Republican primary voters in recent weeks claimed a bipartisan effort in 2017 to improve nursing homes across the state by returning federal tax dollars to Texas would have somehow resulted in a tax paid by grandmothers. In fact, the legislation specifically prohibited passing along any costs to nursing home residents.

“Nearly every family in Texas will face the need for long term care for a loved one, someday,” Warren said. “Texans are a lot smarter than the false attacks and deception disguised as truth this primary season. Texans support personal responsibility and accountability and reject those who would try to deceive them about something as important as the care of their loved ones.”

“The results of this election are clear, when it comes to long term care in Texas,” Warren said. “Texans support finding ways to improve quality in our nursing homes without raising taxes and we expect our legislature to bring forth real pragmatic solutions to better the lives of those they represent.”

 

About THCA
Founded in 1950, the Texas Health Care Association (THCA) is the largest long term care association in Texas. THCA’s membership is comprised of several hundred licensed nonprofit and for-profit skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), specialized rehabilitation facilities and assisted living facilities in Texas. These facilities provide comprehensive, around-the-clock nursing care for chronically ill or short-term residents of all ages, along with rehabilitative and specialized medical programs. THCA also represents more than 190 long term care businesses that provide products and services to the state’s approximately 2,850 nursing homes and assisted living facilities. To learn more, visit http://txhca.org/ or connect with THCA on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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