By Al Norman
In late June, the state legislature was putting the final touches on the 2011 state budget. They were counting on some extra Medicaid funding from Congress — but when the money did not come on time — the General Court decided to ‘reserve’ a place for the added federal funds by creating a Medicaid “Relief Fund.”
Gov. Deval Patrick vetoed this Relief Fund, because the money still had not arrived.
On June 28, several hundred human services activists and union members gathered outside of the Boston office of U.S. Senator Scott Brown, R-Mass., to urge him to vote in favor of these federal funds — which were being held up by a filibuster. Seniors carried signs and banners outside of Brown’s office — because more than $15 million in elderly programs would benefit from the federal funding.
Brown never did end his filibuster against the Medicaid funds — but the U.S. Senate finally was able to pass the bill over Brown’s objections. The U.S. House concurred with the Senate bill, and it was placed on President Obama’s desk. Without wasting any time, he signed the new law, and the money was sent to Massachusetts and other states.
We thought we were done. We were wrong.
The Medicaid funding passed by Congress has not been used to help seniors in Massachusetts. It has not been used for anything. The General Court on Beacon Hill has been in informal session — and no votes have been taken to release this funding.
Meanwhile, there were 3,500 seniors waiting to get into home care as of Sept. 1. For them, every day that passes is one more day without home care. The Labor Day holiday came and went. Many senior rights groups labored over the summer to get the U.S. Senate to pass the funding bill. Then they labored to get the U.S. House to pass the measure. Now advocates are asking: What happened to the Medicaid home care money?
On Aug. 18, a coalition of seven elder groups sent a letter to every lawmaker on Beacon Hill, urging the General Court to bring home the home care. Rumors abound that the legislature is going to take up the issue of the Medicaid funds soon — but other rumors say the stalemate could go on for months.
Some lawmakers may not realize that seniors in their district are suffering with every passing day. But home care is a program that has broad public support, and is the preferred form of care for older people. The home care, protective services and other line items have lost more than $15.13 million in FY 2011 funding that was linked to this Medicaid Relief Fund.
Without this funding, basic home care caseloads will drop to their lowest level since 1980. Without this funding, seniors and people with disabilities that use the personal care attendant program will be cut off if they use 14 or fewer hours of care per month.
It’s hard to imagine that any member of the General Court would want to deny this relief to the elderly, but we grow concerned when we hear that the Relief Fund could be months away — or never. Our elderly population is waiting now, they need assistance now. The expectation has been built up that this money will help real people. This home care money will be spent in the local economy immediately, helping to employ homemakers and person care attendants, who in turn will use the money to buy food, pay their rent and put gas in their car.
So this money will not only help keep seniors out of costlier nursing homes, it will end up infused back into the economy within days and weeks — which is why Congress appropriated the money in the first place.
I urge readers to call 617-722-2000 and tell their state lawmakers: “Bring the federal home care money home, and end the waiting game for needy seniors.”
Al Norman is the executive director of Mass Home Care. He can be reached at 413-773-5555 or at info@masshomecare.org.
