June 4th, 2009

Says a press release from PANPHA, an association of nonprofit groups dedicated to advocating for senior citizens:

Joined by dozens of not-for-profit senior service providers today in the state Capitol, PANPHA President Ron Barth echoed the message he delivered to the House Appropriations Committee – that Pennsylvania must use the opportunity provided by the federal stimulus funds to improve the way our state cares for its aging population. He urged state leaders not to ignore an important opportunity to maximize the federal stimulus funding to overhaul Pennsylvania’s long-term care infrastructure.

“We’re at the point in Pennsylvania where the sheer care and service need of our aging population is larger than the provider network or existing funding framework can handle,” Barth said. “The Governor’s proposed spending plan tried to maintain the ’status quo’ for vulnerable seniors and those who provide their care. Unfortunately, since the Governor announced his spending plan, the state budget picture has done nothing but get worse, with the shortfall expected to exceed $3 billion by year’s end.”

Adding to the difficulty is a Senate-passed budget that would cut an additional $66 million from senior care and services, attempting to offer a spending plan for the fiscal year 2009-10 budget without a tax increase.

“The Senate budget does nothing to fix the problem, but rather makes things worse by cutting $66 million in state funding for senior care services, costing us an additional $112 million,” said Barth. “It’s like throwing money out the window at the very time when we need every available dollar to care for our growing senior population.”

Barth said the spending level proposed in the budget passed by the Senate is like a tax increase on those who can least afford it. A 6-percent reduction in Medicaid funding will force seniors who privately pay for services to pay even more to make up the shortfall. A 6-percent reduction in Medicaid funding will reduce the wages and benefits of hardworking caregivers who are the front lines in caring for our frail elderly.

Find out more on PANPHA’s position.