February 2nd, 2009

The Patriot-News published yesterday an op-ed by the CEO of PANPHA, an association of nonprofit senior services that advocates for public policy initiatives that support individual rights, quality care, equitable access and reimbursement for seniors throughout Pennsylvania.

Writes Ron Barth:

As Pennsylvania begins the 2009-10 budget process and historic deficits continue to mount, the time has come for all groups in long-term living services to come together. We can no longer deal with funding long-term living services on a year-to-year, Band-Aid basis.

Advocates for seniors and people living with disabilities must stop fighting over the dwindling funding pie.

Rather, we must band together and demand lawmakers establish a fully funded long-term living system that meets the care and service needs of all Pennsylvanians with chronic care needs.

One of the demographically oldest states in the nation, Pennsylvania’s population of younger people with disabilities is also rising. Increased funding across the board for all care and service settings is the only way we can assure a truly “balanced” system.

Our state lawmakers need to see all care options as equally important and figure out how all long-term living services are to be funded by both government and private means — not cutting one in favor of another.

No one likes to discuss tax increases.

However, when the state requires the same or additional amounts of services without increasing funding — that IS a tax increase on those least able to afford it (caregivers and those Pennsylvanians who rely upon them.)

As they say, someone has to pay.

The time has come to see all care options as equally important — and figure out how all services are to be fairly funded for years to come.