Lawmakers push tests for Texas’ elderly
Group seeks funds for front-line workers, nursing homes and assisted living centers
A bipartisan group of 63 state representatives in a letter Wednesday made several requests of Gov. Greg Abbott that they say would help protect elderly Texans living in long-term care facilities.
“Our state government can and must do more to protect our most vulnerable Texans,” they wrote. “That is why we respectfully request the following critical measures to defend our elderly Texans, Texans with disabilities and the Texans on the front line serving these communities.”
As of Wednesday, about 40 percent of the state’s COVID-19 deaths were linked to nursing homes and assisted living centers, according to state data.
Abbott has barred all vistitation from people other than those providing critical assistance at nursing homes, statesupported living centers, assisted living facilities, or long-term care facilities. In his latest executive order issued Monday, Abbott
also released recommendations to facilities to decrease the risk of infection in these facilities, though experts interviewed by Hearst Newspapers this week said they were largely a reiteration of existing guidance.
In the letter Wednesday, lawmakers asked that COVID-19 testing be available and mandatory for every employee and resident of a nursing home, state-supported living center, state hospital or group home and that the state increase its transparency in reporting outbreaks.
The state’s health department two weeks ago began releasing data on number of infections and deaths but has declined to include the names of facilities in that data.
The lawmakers also requested that Abbott direct additional funding to Texas Medicaid by increasing the reimbursement rate for longterm and intermediate care facilities to cover direct-care staff wages and personal protective equipment. Texas has one of the lowest Medicaid reimbursment rates in the country.
About 80 to 85 percent of Texas nursing home residents are dependent upon either Medicare or Medicaid funding for their care, according to the Texas Health Care Association. In 2018, 86 percent of Texas nursing homes reported allowable costs that exceeded Medicaid reimbursement.
During last year’s legislative session, bills failed to pass that would have increased funding for long-term care providers who met certain quality standards and created a pool of incentive funds paid into by all operators in the state.
The letter is signed by nearly every member of the Democratic House Caucus, as well as Republicans Angie Chen Button, of Richardson; Drew Darby, of San Angelo; James Frank, of Wichita Falls; Stephanie Klick, of Fort Worth; Matt Krause, of Fort Worth; Gary VanDeaver, of New Boston; James White, of Hillister.