For Immediate Release
April 14, 2015

Contact: Rebecca Reid
410-212-383

Gun Bill HB 805 Prevents Prosecution of Those Carrying Guns in Texas Nursing Homes

Legislation Singles out Businesses Receiving Public Monies and Exempts Gun Carriers From Being Prosecuted for Class A Misdemeanors

 

(Austin, TX) – In a move to protect those carrying guns into Texas nursing homes, HB 805, heard today in the House of Representatives’ Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee, essentially removes the ability to prosecute an individual who still, by law, commits a Class A Misdemeanor, by bringing a gun onto the premises of skilled nursing facility caring for the state’s frail elderly.

“By including a qualifier in the bill that points to buildings receiving public funds, Medicaid and Medicare in the case of nursing homes, HB 805 effectively gives the green light for guns to come through the doors where elderly with increasing complex mental and medical conditions receive their skilled nursing care,” said Kevin Warren, President of the Texas Health Care Association (THCA).

Currently in Texas penal code, it is a Class A Misdemeanor offense to hold or carry a gun on the premises of a hospital or nursing home unless the gun carrier has written authorization from the facility.  HB 805 would preserve the offense, but disallow the prosecution of an individual who carries or handles a gun in a building that receives public funding. Both hospitals and nursing homes provide care to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries requiring healthcare services.  Two thirds of Texas’ nursing home patients are Medicaid beneficiaries.  Medicaid funding, an entitlement program funded by both state and federal governments, is the safety net for low income seniors requiring rehab, therapy and around-the-clock skilled nursing care.

 

 # # #

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 non-profit 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.

For Immediate Release 
April 14, 2015
Contact: Rebecca Reid
410-212-3843

 

New Statewide Baselice Poll Shows 80% of Texas Voters Overwhelmingly Favor Increasing Medicaid Funding for Nursing Home Care

 

2015 Poll Shows Majority of Voters Support for Fully Funding Medicaid Rate

 

(Austin, TX) – Eighty percent of respondents in a statewide poll of nearly 1,000 Texas voters, say they are in favor of increasing Medicaid for nursing home care for elderly beneficiaries after learning Texas’ Medicaid rate for nursing homes pays only about $6 an hour for long term care services. Eighty-eight percent of those surveyed believe adequate Medicaid funding for low-income seniors in nursing homes is just as important as other top funding priorities such as transportation, water and public education.

“Texans understand it’s important to take care of those who once took care of us,” said Kevin Warren, President and CEO of the Texas Health Care Association (THCA). “While the Senate debates SB 2 today — the senate state budget bill — Texas nursing home providers and voters across the state urge our state lawmakers to include a provision that bridges the $343 million gap in state Medicaid funding and fully funds the rate for nursing home care.”

The statewide Baselice & Associates Texas voter survey last week polled 949 voters, forty-one percent who say they most frequently vote for Republican candidates versus thirty-four percent who typically vote for Democrats. They responded to the following questions:

1. As the Texas state legislature considers the next budget, do you think that ensuring adequate Medicaid funding to care for low income seniors in nursing homes is just as important as other top priorities like transportation, water, and education?

88% said yes

2. Nearly seventy percent of nursing home residents in Texas receive care paid for under Medicaid, the state health insurance program for the poor and indigent. According to Texas state government’s own funding methodology, Medicaid for nursing home care is currently underfunded by three hundred and forty-three million dollars. Do you favor or oppose the legislature fully funding Medicaid for low income seniors in nursing homes at the levels the state itself says is needed to meet the cost of providing this care?

77% Favor

3. It is estimated that Medicaid pays about six dollars per hour a day for the care of each low income senior in a nursing home. Do you favor or oppose increasing Medicaid for elderly beneficiaries in nursing homes?

80% Favor

Gender ratio for respondents indicated fifty-two percent of those surveyed were females to forty-seven percent males, with age relatively evenly split at twenty-nine percent between the ages of 18 and 44, both age groups 45-54 and 55 to 64 garnered twenty-two percent each and those over age 65 who responded represented twenty-seven percent of poll participants.

“The average voter is the voice of the average Texan and their opinion and support must be acknowledged in the halls of our state capital,” noted Warren.  “In a busy legislative session with competing priorities, it remains imperative to Texans that our seniors are not left behind. Fully funding the Medicaid rate for nursing home care is important to our elderly, the caregivers who provide long term care services to them and the state’s voters who make seniors a priority.”

 

# # #

 

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 non-profit 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.

                                       

 

For Immediate Release    
March 31, 2015                                                                      

Contact: Rebecca Reid
410-212-3843

 

Companies Providing Equipment and Services to Nursing Homes Tell Legislators Fully Funding the Medicaid Rate is Good for Texas Business

 (AUSTIN, TX) –   Stressing the benefits of a thriving long term care sector to the state’s local economies, company owners and employees that provide goods and services to Texas nursing homes, met with legislators in Austin today to urge their elected officials to fully fund the Medicaid rate for skilled nursing facilities.

“It is important to understand the wide range impact fully funding the Medicaid rate for nursing homes has on our frail elderly, the dedicated staff who serve them and the businesses that support skilled nursing care,” said Buddy Parker, representative of First Choice Medical Supply in Garland, TX and chair of the Texas Coalition for Long Term Care Business (TCLTCB). “Not only are long term care businesses crucial for providers to deliver high quality care to our seniors, we also generate jobs across Texas and contribute to the local tax base. A fully funded Medicaid rate is good for Texas businesses and good for our statewide economy.”

The CLTCB was established to educate state policymakers about the direct impact that funding decisions made during the legislative session will have on their constituents and local economies back home.  According to Coalition members, the chronically underfunded Medicaid rate for nursing homes, currently at $343 million, not only compromises providers’ ability to attract and retain qualified staff, but also directly and indirectly impacts sustainable jobs and economic vitality in communities across Texas.

“Texas’ long term care businesses have made their Commitment to Care and have joined in support the efforts of nursing home providers to make our state a national leader in the delivery of excellent skilled nursing care,” said Parker.  “We respectfully call on Texas lawmakers to match that commitment and provide the long term care sector with the resources to help us meet our goal.”

The Texas Health Care Association (THCA) recently announced the Commitment to Care, a unified effort among Texas nursing home providers to enhance the delivery of long-term care by increasing focus on improving clinical outcomes, developing strategies to attract and retain a stable workforce, collaborating with senior care advocates, improving survey performance results, and promoting health care policy that facilitates providers’ ability to elevate overall care performance.

“Texas has always been a business friendly state, but there will be a domino effect to companies supporting long term care if the Medicaid rate for nursing homes continues to fail to cover the actual cost of providing care to our most frail seniors,” said Parker. “If nursing homes can’t purchase our products and services, the viability of our companies will be lost and so will jobs.  It is incumbent upon our legislative leaders to protect our seniors and preserve long term care jobs and businesses responsible for the quality of their care.”

 

# # #

About CLTCB

The Texas Coalition for Long Term Care Business (TCLTCB) is an association of Texas-based long term care businesses providing valuable products and services to the state’s nursing homes and assisted living facilities caring for more than 60,000 elderly and disabled residents statewide. 

To learn more about Commitment to Care, please visit txhca.org/quality-care/commitment-to-care. For ongoing Twitter updates and information, follow @TXHCA and the #Commit2Care hashtag.

                                      

For Immediate Release     
March 26, 2015                                                                   

Contact: Rebecca Reid
410-212-3843

Long Term Care Frontline Nurses Urge Legislators to Help Advance Quality Improvements and Fully Fund Medicaid Rate for Vulnerable Elderly

 

(AUSTIN, TX) – Frontline caregivers in nursing homes across the state met at the Capitol today with lawmakers who will determine whether or not the Medicaid rate for skilled nursing care will be fully funded for 2016-2017.  State estimates indicate the current Medicaid rate for long term care is underfunded by $343 million.

“We are the nurses and nurse assistants who provide skilled nursing care to frail seniors twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and we are also serving as their voice here today in Austin,” said Robin J. Hayes, a R.N. with Touchstone Communities and Chair of the Nurse’s Council for the Texas Health Care Association (THCA).  “Low wages and the challenge of attracting a dedicated, caring qualified employee pool puts a strain on those caregivers who have made caring for the elderly not only a career, but a mission. Adequate resources for skilled nursing care are key to improving quality. Texas’ Medicaid rate has been underfunded for decades and that is a trend that has to change.”

Sponsored by THCA’s Nurse Council, Nurses’ Commitment to Care Day brought nursing home administrators, nurses, and other frontline nursing staff to Austin to advocate for policy supporting a healthy long term care sector in Texas.  The long term caregiver staff underscored statistics that indicate an urgent need for resources to help build a robust nursing home workforce, renovate and upgrade facilities, install state of the art technology, and provide ongoing education and training that reflects that latest strategies in quality care improvement.  3.2 million Texans are currently over the age of 65 – a number that is expected to grow to 7.5 million by 2040. Similarly, the percentage of people ages 85 and older is expected to double over the same span.

Last month, the THCA announced the Commitment to Care, a unified effort among Texas nursing homes to enhance the delivery of long-term care by increasing focus on improving clinical outcomes, developing strategies to attract and retain a stable workforce, collaborating with senior care advocates, improving survey performance results, and promoting sound health policy that facilitates providers’ ability to elevate care performance.

“We appreciate the opportunity to convey first-hand to lawmakers our caregiving experiences and what it takes to increase positive patient outcomes, elevate quality of life, and ensure Texas becomes a national leader in long term care,” said Hayes. “Long term care nurses have made our commitment to care for the most vulnerable in our state.  We respectfully urge our legislators to help us bring consistency and continuity to the long term care setting and fully fund the Medicaid rate for the frail elderly.”

 

# # #

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 non-profit 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.

To learn more about Commitment to Care, please visit txhca.org/quality-care/commitment-to-care. For ongoing Twitter updates and information, follow @TXHCA and the #Commit2Care hashtag.

Adequate Medicaid rate for Texas nursing homes key to improving care for seniors

By Ashley Clark, Star Local Media contributor

Friday, March 20, 2015

 

Austin is abuzz right now as the legislative session revs up a full head of steam going into its third month and lawmakers begin to vote in committees on budget issues that will impact all of us over the next two years.

Texas is a big state with big issues, a big budget and a big rainy day fund. Many Texans are depending on economic investments that foster a strong jobs market that will keep Texas leading the nation in many respects.

There is a large population of Texans that has already spent their entire lives investing in this great state, saving for retirement and paying taxes that helped fund roads, bridges, schools and government programs. Now their health has declined along with their personal funds.

As legislators determine budget needs, it is important to keep the promise to help the frail elderly who need it most.

As a facility administrator for Cross Timbers Rehab and Health Care Center in Flower Mound, I am able to witness the life-changing impact of round-the-clock, personalized care for hundreds of frail elderly from our Flower Mound community, most of whom are able to go home after short stays of rehabilitation with us.

Cross Timbers’ caregiving team and I are passionate about the health, comfort, and quality of life of our patients. Therefore, we are driven to further elevate the quality of long-term care that we provide. For that reason, we are engaged in the Commitment to Care (C to C), a comprehensive ongoing initiative launched by the Texas Health Care Association (THCA) to facilitate a concerted effort among nursing home providers to improve the delivery of long-term care services through increased transparency, collaboration and dedication to sharing best practices to maximize positive outcomes for our vulnerable seniors.

Commitment to Care acknowledges providers have a lead role and responsibility in promoting and maintaining a compassionate, effective and efficient care environment. C to C also recognizes that long term care providers cannot achieve the goal of moving Texas to the top of the nation in nursing home care quality without the support and contribution of senior care stakeholders, including lawmakers.

Two-thirds, or roughly 57, 000, seniors in nursing homes across Texas are Medicaid beneficiaries. They are depending on a return on that investment they made for all the years of their working life to assist them at their most vulnerable time. Yet for years, Texas’ Medicaid rate for nursing home care has hovered near the bottom of the fifty states.

In fact, by the state’s own estimate, Medicaid long term care funding is short by $343 million. But that’s just a number. There is a very human element that isn’t recognized in budget language or mathematical methodologies.

At times it’s easy to feel under siege as a long term care professional, given that media reports generally don’t focus on the positive strides made in skilled nursing care. Rarely do we read a touching story about the compassionate care delivered by our frontline caregivers to an elderly patient, even though that interaction happens several times over every day throughout Texas’ nursing homes and here at Cross Timbers.

That said, there is another reason this profession can be stressful and that is the challenge in attracting a qualified pool of employees to the long term care setting. A consistently low Medicaid rate that doesn’t even cover the actual cost of care makes it more than difficult to hire and retain personnel who have families to support and who can make more money in other sectors. The chronically underfunded Medicaid rate strains facility budgets and hampers any facility’s ability to make continuous and permanent care enhancements – a trademark of adequate staffing.

We respectfully urge the legislature to make its investment in the goal to make Texas a national leader in nursing home care by closing the gap in Medicaid funding for our deserving elderly.

Ashley Clark is the facility administrator for Cross Timbers Rehab and Health Care Center in Flower Mound

 

For Immediate Release                                                                          
March 24, 2015  
Contact: Rebecca Reid
410-212-3843

Nursing Home Providers Strongly Urge Legislators to Protect Elderly and Their Caregivers by Opposing Gun Bill That  Would Allow Handguns in Eldercare Facilities

 

(Austin, TX) –   Stressing the need to protect vulnerable elderly, their family members and the skilled nursing staff who care for frail seniors, the Texas Health Care Association (THCA) testified in opposition today to House Bill 308, legislation that would allow concealed handgun license holders to carry handguns in certain locations, including Texas nursing homes.

“Nursing home providers are responsible for the health, safety and well-being of their patients and for the staff that cares for vulnerable, elderly residents, “ testified Gloria Bean-Williams, Director of Quality and Clinical Outcomes for the THCA, before the Texas House of Representatives’ Homeland Security and Public Safety  Committee. “Allowing the carrying of handguns into nursing homes would create a significant level of additional risk and potentially compromise the ability of providers to prevent both unintentional and calculated acts that could harm residents and staff.”

Current law prohibits carrying concealed handguns in certain locations, including skilled nursing facilities.  House Bill 308 would repeal sections of the law and lift the ban on the ability of licensed gun owners to bring hand guns into those environments, as well as hospitals, churches, and amusement parks.

“Texas nursing homes provide compassionate care to seniors with an array of health conditions requiring post-acute rehab and therapy as well as mental health issues including dementia, depression and other illnesses that make access to firearms highly inappropriate and potentially dangerous,” Bean-Williams continued.  “For thousands of residents across Texas, nursing facilities are where they now call home.  What good can be served from increasing health and safety risks to an already vulnerable patient population and the dedicated caregivers whose mission is to see they are healthy have a good quality of life?”

# # #

 

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 non-profit 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.

For immediate Release
March 9, 2015

Contact: Rebecca Reid
410-212-3843

Texas Health Care Association Hires Director of Quality and Clinical Services to Manage Quality Improvement Strategies for Nursing Home Providers

 (Austin, TX) –   The Texas Health Care Association (THCA) announced today Gloria Bean-Williams, R.N., will serve in the newly created position of Director of Quality and Clinical Services, which will, among many things, manage quality measurement data and care enhancement progress as part of Commitment to Care (C to C), an ongoing initiative charting a strategic course to improve care quality for Texas seniors.

“Gloria brings extensive experience in long term care nursing and quality improvement management and is widely regarded for her knowledge in data utilization and directing a quality-focused culture in the skilled nursing setting,” said Kevin Warren, President and CEO of THCA. “Gloria will be a tremendous asset as we move forward to assist providers in areas where challenges exist, identify and share best practices in the nursing home community and benchmark progress in care improvement.”

Prior to her coming on board to THCA, Bean-Williams served as the Quality Nurse Manager for the Veterans Land Board overseeing the quality of care for the State Veterans Homes across Texas.  With experience as a former Director of Nursing, she worked for TMF Health Quality Institute as the Director, Nursing Home Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, guiding nursing homes across the state to improve care delivery.

“My area of expertise is quality improvement methodologies and strategies for implementation in the long term care setting,” said Bean-Williams. “I applaud THCA for creating the position of Director of Quality and Clinical Services and for placing a strong emphasis on improving quality measures and outcomes in Texas nursing homes through the Commitment to Care initiative. I look forward to working with membership on the shared goal of making Texas a national leader in quality skilled nursing care.”

The THCA announced the Commitment to Care in February as a unified effort to strengthen the delivery of long term care across Texas by reporting quality improvements made by nursing home providers, identifying and solving issues that result in unmet care expectations, and partnering with senior care stakeholders to advance strategies that facilitate the provision of compassionate and effective long term care services.  The core principles of Commitment to Care are:

• Improve workforce stability
• Improve clinical outcomes and care coordination
• Improve survey performance results
• Promote policies that enhance the quality care needs of the frail and elderly

 

# # #

  

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 non-profit 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.

 

For Immediate Release
 March 5, 2015

Contact: Rebecca Reid
410-212-3843

 

Texas Nursing Home Providers Working to Elevate Quality of Care Appeal to Legislators to Fix $343 Million Medicaid Shortfall

 

Care Providers Say Chronic Underfunding of Medicaid for Frail Elderly Undercuts Ability to Hire and Retain Frontline Caregivers and Enhance Care Performance

(Austin, TX) – Texas nursing home providers are calling on state legislators to fully fund the Medicaid rate for eldercare–a, $343 million gap, according to the state’s own numbers.  Texas consistently ranks near the bottom of the fifty states in Medicaid funding for skilled nursing care.

“More than seventy percent or roughly 57,000 skilled nursing home residents are Medicaid beneficiaries, often with multiple disease conditions requiring increasingly complex medical care, as Texas’ aging population continues to grow,” said Kevin Warren, President and CEO of the Texas Health Care Association (THCA). “The current Medicaid rate for nursing home care hampers providers from hiring, training and retaining qualified staff, accessing educational resources and planning for an influx of elderly patients in the near future.”

Recommendations from the Article II subcommittee on Medicaid funding are due to be considered in the full House Appropriations Committee this week.

“A 2015 first quarter survey of THCA members indicates more than 70 percent of provider respondents identified increased wages for staff and hiring additional front line staff as their top two priorities should the Medicaid base rate be fully funded,” said Warren.  “Texas’ chronically low Medicaid rate runs counter to what should be a common goal for our state’s citizens – to make Texas number one in the nation for high quality long term care.”

Last month, THCA launched the Commitment to Care, an ongoing initiative to elevate the quality of care provided in Texas nursing homes through a strategic and collaborative effort among the provider community. It is designed to stabilize the long term care workforce, improve clinical outcomes and state survey performance results, and advocate for sound, public policy that supports quality care needs. 

Despite the challenges of such low funding for care, providers are participating in improvement initiatives, engaging in educational programs, and sharing best practices to demonstrate their commitment to the residents, families, staff and the communities they serve.

State statistics show that 3.2 million Texans are currently over the age of 65 and that number is expected to grow to 7.5 million by 2040.  Similarly, the percentage of people ages 85 and older is expected to double over the same span.

“Texas long term care providers respect taxpayer demand for excellent healthcare delivery in return for their dollars and well know the importance of being good stewards of public funding,” noted Warren. “Moving Texas to the top in the nation for nursing home care will be that much more difficult if providers do not have the resources to invest in the day-to-day care for the frail elderly.

“We respectfully ask our lawmakers to make seniors a priority by fully funding the Medicaid base rate.”

 

# # #

 

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 non-profit 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.

 

 

 

For Immediate Release
February 25, 2015

Contact: Rebecca Reid
410-212-3843

 

THCA Testifies Three Strike Bill Will Have Unintended Consequences For All Texas Nursing Homes

 State’s Largest Nursing Home Provider Association Says Three Strikes Could Potentially Close

High Performing Facilities and Jeopardize Access to Eldercare

 

(Austin, TX) – The Chair of the Texas Health Care Association (THCA) Board of Directors today testified before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and cautioned lawmakers that proposed “Three Strikes” legislation, intended to target a small number of chronic underperforming nursing homes, will instead cast a wide net over Texas long term care facilities and potentially jeopardize access to local skilled nursing care.

“We understand the goal of the Three Strikes bill is to make certain the state’s regulatory agency executes its responsibility to ensure skilled nursing facilities provide quality care to the frail elderly in a safe and healthy environment,” said Ron Payne, Chair of the Board of Directors for THCA and CEO of Southwest LTC Management Services, LLC.  “THCA member providers share that goal but believe the answers to achieving it lie in a different strategy and implementation of existing regulation.”

If passed, Senate Bill 304 would expand the authority of state agency personnel to determine whether a facility remains open.  The results of those determinations could affect the quality of care for thousands of elderly in the state’s 1,200 nursing facilities. The current statutory framework provides the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) appropriate authority, including the discretion to revoke a license where a facility violates a regulatory requirement in either a repeated or substantial manner.  DADS is also authorized to suspend a facility’s license and order the facility closed where DADS finds the facility has violated a standard and the violation creates an immediate threat to the health and safety of a resident.

Also testifying before the Committee, Liam Frye, M.D., a board certified geriatrician and certified medical director of long term care facilities in the Austin area noted an already adversarial and highly subjective survey process. “There is tremendous variation, seemingly left to the whim of the individual surveyor, as to what constitutes a violation,” said Dr. Frye. “The policy of heavy fines and penalties does not seem to be working.  Rather, there needs to be some way to put money back into the nursing homes and for the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) to help and assist them.”

The THCA has recommended an alternative proposal to SB 304 entitled Protecting Resident Choice that, among other things, recommends increased transparency on the part of the provider by requiring notification to residents and family members when a facility receives certain violations on a state survey.

“Three Strikes removes the discretion of the regulatory agency to revoke a nursing home license and without examination of circumstances around the violations, mandates closure,” said Payne. “State regulation currently provides for the authority to close the doors of nursing homes that are repeat underperformers, to require correction plans from facilities earnestly addressing their care challenges, and to recognize facilities with consistently excellent survey results. Those are three different types of facilities, yet all would be impacted by SB 304.”

In a statewide, ongoing effort to enhance the level of care in Texas nursing homes, the Texas Health Care Association (THCA) recently announced the Commitment to Care, an initiative by nursing home providers to chart a strategic course to improve care quality for seniors, promote transparency and accountability among providers and collaborate with senior advocates on the goal of establishing Texas as a national leader in eldercare.

“Our members support the expansion of approaches that provide early detection and intervention for process failures or unsafe practices to improve quality, rather than an enforcement mechanism that would displace residents and staff, and result in broad reaching consequences for the residents, employees, and the communities served,” testified Payne. “That said, serious violations of health and safety standards in Texas facilities are never acceptable and we must be committed to do all we can to ensure they are prevented.”

 

# # #

To learn more about Commitment to Care, please visit txhca.org/quality-care/commitment-to-care. For ongoing Twitter updates and information, follow @TXHCA and the #Commit2Care hashtag.

 

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 non-profit 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.

For Immediate Release
February 17, 2015

Contact: Rebecca Reid
410-212-3843

 

Article II Testimony by Texas Health Care Association Urges Policymakers To Address Medicaid Funding Deficit for Nursing Home Care

State’s Largest Long Term Care Association Asserts Direct Correlation Among Adequate Funding, Stable Workforce and Increased Quality of Care

(Austin, TX) – The President and CEO of the Texas Health Care Association (THCA) testified Monday before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Article II, urging lawmakers to fully fund the state’s Medicaid reimbursement base rate to nursing homes by 13.7%, which according to the state’s own analysis, would cover the cost of providing skilled nursing care to Texas’ most vulnerable seniors.

“Texas nursing homes and our policymakers tasked with funding seniors’ care are both committed to providing high quality care to elderly patients in a safe and compassionate environment,” said THCA CEO Kevin Warren. “The consistent delivery of high quality skilled nursing care requires a collective effort from both providers and policy makers. An adequate Medicaid rate that reimburses for the actual cost of care will assist providers in meeting today’s needs of an aging population with increasingly complex conditions as well as plan for the future influx of elderly transitioning into long term care.”

In his testimony, Warren pointed out that more than 70 percent of elderly nursing home patients in Texas facilities depend on Medicaid funding to cover the cost of their care, which equates to two thirds of an average facility’s patient population and accounts for an estimated 57,000 frail seniors across the state.

“Quality care is directly related to consistent and stable staffing,” said Warren. ”A fully funded Medicaid base rate will greatly assist providers in recruiting new employees with the skills and compassion necessary to care for Texas’ frail elderly. Nursing homes compete with many other health care settings able to offer higher wages. Long term care is a noble profession and those choosing to care for the elderly must be able to support themselves, a family, and have a stable career.”

The THCA announced last week the Commitment to Care (C to C), an ongoing initiative to elevate the quality of care provided in Texas nursing homes through a strategic and collaborative effort among the provider community designed to stabilize the long term care workforce, improve clinical outcomes and state survey performance results, and advocate for sound, public policy that supports quality care needs.  A 2015 first quarter survey of THCA members indicates more than 70 percent of provider respondents identified increased wages for staff and hiring additional front line staff as their top two priorities should the Medicaid base rate be fully funded.

“While we ask for a rate increase, we recognize that Texas taxpayers want to see results for their hard earned dollars,” said Warren. “We support the delivery of quality health care through the use of clinical and environmental innovations and initiatives designed to improve care for elderly nursing home residents.  To that end, we want to work with legislators to create a value-based incentive program that reinforces the achievement of performance standards.”

# # #

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 non-profit 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.