Bill hurts seniors

Besieged by budget deficit problems, the Legislature is struggling to manage the day-to-day bill research prior to selecting the red or green buttons to trigger their votes. Aging advocates know this because we are certain that legislators would not have voted for House Bill 2958 had their eyes been on this ball.HB 2958 changes how much money nursing homes will receive from the Oklahoma Health Care Authority for the care of vulnerable, older Oklahomans who are dependent upon Medicaid for their nursing home care. The current formula provides that 70 percent of new money goes for “direct care” services (nurses and aides) while the remainder goes for “other costs” (capital, food, supplies, etc.). The “direct care” amount that nursing home operators receive is dependent upon how much staff that they hire to care for the residents. Consequently, not-for-profit nursing homes, which historically staff at higher rates than for-profit nursing home owners, usually receive a larger percentage of the reimbursement amount for “direct care” services.

This bill would change what “direct care” services include, which is dictated in state statute.If House Bill 2958 passes, funds will be diverted from true direct care services and the diverted money will be used for real estate, management consultants, building costs, food and other non-direct care purposes. This is flat wrong! Do what’s right, legislators! Otherwise, Oklahoma’s vulnerable, senior population will suffer.

Esther Houser, Oklahoma City Houser is a member of the Oklahoma Silver Haired Legislature Alumni Association.