[4alabama] Half State Funds Toward Home Care

Mon May 5 10:38:13 CDT 2008

      May 4, 2008

      Long-term health care bill gives seniors the level of care they
deserve

      The Senate, by a unanimous vote of 32-0, took a major step last week
in approving legislation that is much needed and long overdue. I am proud to
be the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 4181 - the Long-Term Care Community
Choices Act of 2008.

      Last summer, a special joint study committee began discussing
improvements to our state's long-term care system. Then in January, Gov.
Bredesen joined in as his administration and the legislature endeavored to
fundamentally restructure how Tennessee takes care of its elderly citizens.

      The findings were eye-opening. Among them, we found that Tennessee is
generally considered 20 to 25 years behind other states in how it delivers
long-term care services; Tennessee takes up to 45 days to assess an
individual's eligibility for those services; and, service providers are
often overburdened by the state in its attempt to diversify the types of
care it seeks to provide.

      Although our state provides good services, the current system in which
those services are offered is simply confusing, inefficient, and disjointed.

      The changes proposed under this bill will be comprehensive. Although
it will take a few years to fully implement, the bill will address our
system from the top down. The bill addresses many issues. Among them: the
services that are offered; licensure of care providers; expansion of
community-based alternatives; and, quality assurance. We do not need to
piece-meal our health care delivery system. To that end, the committee
sought for and worked with constituency groups and service providers from
all across the state. Because the needs are great, the scope of this bill
should be far-reaching.

      This legislation will be user-friendly. The bill will help the state
and care providers coordinate the kinds of care that people need in a
seamless fashion. The state will be better-prepared to assist individuals as
they transition from or to nursing facilities and community-based care. A
single point of entry - "one-stop shopping" - will help individuals and
their families assess options for care and how to access them. Finally, the
eligibility process will be streamlined so that services can be delivered
with ease and speed.

      This legislation will expand options. For years, Tennesseans have
often had one choice: nursing homes. One thing became apparent during our
meetings: nursing facilities are best suited to deliver the kind of care
they provide. Many individuals need them. But there are also many others who
are able to - and wish to - remain in their homes while receiving medical
care.

      This bill will ensure that if an individual desires more
cost-effective care at home or in the community, he or she will be able to
access those services. To the extent that nursing facilities seek to offer
new services for individuals at home, the state will assist the facility in
meeting licensure and other requirements to safely and effectively deliver
the services.

      This bill will be efficient. It integrates these long-term care
services into our existing managed care system, which is funded by a
combination of federal and state dollars. This helps us manage growth within
our existing resources.

      While there is no "magic bullet" or simple one-word answer for every
situation, this legislation seeks to offer flexible, practical solutions.

      The latest U.S. Census Bureau numbers indicate that Tennessee is home
to more than 760,000 senior citizens, a number that is expected to double in
15 years. This bill recognizes that not every senior's situation is the
same. Some have family members who are able to help; others may need 24-hour
assistance in a nursing facility; while still others may only need someone
to bring them a warm meal and help count out their medication. The
foundations of the legislation are choice, dignity and high quality of care.
This bill promotes these foundations. Our seniors deserve nothing less.

      Sen. Lowe Finney, D-Jackson, represents Carroll, Gibson and Madison
counties and served as vice-chairman of the Long-Term Care Joint Study
Committee. He can be reached at sen.lowe.finney at legislature.state.tn.us or
(615) 741 1810.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Senate Approves Bill to Start Long-Term Care Changes
AP
NASHVILLE (AP) - A proposal to start the state down the path of being able
to offer more home and community-based care in Tennessee has passed the
Senate.

The Senate voted 32-0 to pass the administration bill carried by Sen. Lowe
Finney, a Jackson Democrat.

TennCare, the state expanded Medicaid program, currently spends almost all
of its annual $1.2 billion long-term care budget on nursing homes.

The legislation would begin the process of directing about half of those
funds toward home-based care over the next decade. It also seeks to simplify
the process for determining eligibility and for enrolling in home-based care
programs.

"This fundamental change in the way TennCare handles long-term care will
provide more choices and simplify access to care for our seniors and their
families," Gov. Phil Bredesen said in a release.

"This long-anticipated step to bring more options to seniors and adults
living with disabilities has been a remarkable bipartisan effort with broad
community and industry support," he said.

The companion bill is awaiting a vote in the House Finance committee.

Read the full text of HB4144 on the General Assembly's Web site at:
http://www.legislature.state.tn.us

Judy R. Roy
Independent Living Resources of Greater Birmingham
206  13th Street S.
Birmingham, AL  35233-1317
Phone  205.251.2223  ext 102
Email  bhamilc1 at bellsouth.net
There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been
caregivers; those who are currently caregivers; those who will be
caregivers; those who will need caregivers. - Rosalynn Carter