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Posted on 12/08/2020 11:23:32 AM PST by lightman
Three organizations representing nearly 700 Pennsylvania’s nursing homes are suing Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration in what they term is a fight for some of the facilities’ survival and to protect their residents and staff against the coronavirus.
The lawsuit filed on Monday in Commonwealth Court demands the administration direct the more than $153 million allocated to Pennsylvania through the first federal stimulus package, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, to these health providers that care for tens of thousands of the state’s older and vulnerable residents.
In Pennsylvania, the state Department of Health reported on Tuesday there are 40,541 resident cases of COVID-19, and 7,447 cases among employees, for a total of 47,988 at 1,349 distinct facilities in 66 counties. The department said 7,005 COVID-19 deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities.
In the lawsuit, the organizations maintain the administration has directed the dollars intended for their members to help fight the pandemic instead went to other human services programs to help fill budget holes.
The Wolf administration offered no immediate reaction to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit cites a 2003 state law that requires licensed nursing facility providers to pay an annual assessment. The federal government determines the amount of funding it provided to Pennsylvania through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act based on that assessment. The increased federal dollars the state received was intended to help the facilities fight the COVID-19 pandemic but the money never made it to the providers, the suit claims.
“We didn’t want to file the suit against the Wolf administration but when they ignore the clear language of state law, and essentially steal $153 million from nursing homes battling a once-in-a-century pandemic, it’s time to stand up for what’s right,” said Adam Marles, president and CEO of LeadingAge PA, a trade organization representing more than 370 senior housing, health care and community services providers.
The organizations maintain some of their members were looking to close, reorganize, or were being put up for sale prior to the COVID-19 pandemic from nearly a decade of Medicaid underfunding while their costs skyrocketed. Now the pandemic has accelerated those decisions.
Zach Shamberg, president and CEO of Pennsylvania Health Care Association, which represents more than 500 for-profit and nonprofit nursing, personal care, and assisted living residences, said a recent survey of their members “yielded troubling results. The survey indicated personal protective equipment – namely masks, gowns, gloves and goggles – is once again in short supply.
Beyond that, he said the three words they often hear from staff these days are: burnout, fatigue and exhaustion.
“We fear a mass exodus may be coming,” Shamberg said. “We fear that our long-term care workforce, our workforce, is not as robust as it needs to be to care for our aging population.”
Months-long efforts to negotiate with the Department of Human Services to direct the full amount of the federal stimulus money due to their facilities failed, leaving them little choice but to sue, said Chase Cannon, executive director of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Affiliated Healthcare & Living Communities, which represents 143 county, veterans, private and nonprofit nursing facilities.
“We are saddened that it had to come to this but we refuse to let the resources that are rightfully our members be taken,” Cannon said. “In the end, we hope this also will result in long term-care communities in Pennsylvania receiving what the law requires and that each long-term care community will be able to care for all who need it.”
Pennsylvania Ping!
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What’s wrong with these people? Don’t they know that Federal dollars are only supposed to profit bureaucrats, politicians and their toadies? They expect the money to actually help people in trouble? Ahahahahahahaha.....
And, of course, help the industries (such as propaganda...err, I mean “entertainment”) favored by the state.
Nursing homes had to jump through incredible hoops while politicians were still issuing bizarre policies that harmed the residents. I don’t think the nursing home model is good, but at least they should get compensated.
“...In the lawsuit, the organizations maintain the administration has directed the dollars intended for their members to help fight the pandemic instead went to other human services programs to help fill budget holes....”
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So TYPICAL of the Blue State overlords. That’s why ALL future Coronavirus legislation should have ZERO Funds to prop up State & Local governments.
Need to sue Wolf and his freak personally. Sue them into oblivion.
Medicare and Medicaid started loosening regs last March and are still doing so.
The Trump admin bent over backwards to assist states in supporting their elderly.
This is all on the states.
HE, CUOMO, MURPHY AND THE MAN BEAST NEED TO BE DESTROYED PERSONALLY, they murdered thousands of elderly Americans
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