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State Representative David Bly
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-0171
For more information contact: Michael Howard 651-296-8873
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NURSING HOME FUNDING FOCUS OF HOUSE HEARINGS
ST. PAUL, MN – Rising concerns about the funding crisis threatening nursing homes throughout Minnesota has prompted the House of Representatives Nursing Home Working Group to schedule a public hearing in August to examine the current nursing home payment system.
Representative David Bly (DFL-Northfield), a supporter of nursing home funding reform, will be involved with the group. "It's no secret that years of underfunding has put undo pressure on nursing homes across our state," said Bly. "We need to thoroughly examine the problem and seek out sustainable solutions. I'm hopeful this working group will be the start of that."
The hearing is scheduled for Monday, August 13th, from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. in Room 200 of the State Office Building in St. Paul.
Among those attending, along with state legislators like Bly, will be representatives from the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the Minnesota Health and Housing Association, CareProviders of Minnesota, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), who represents nursing home employees, and the Seniors & Workers Coalition.
Bly said the purpose of Monday's hearing will be to collect information from the various agencies and departments associated with long-term care. Following this hearing, the group will hold public meetings throughout the state to learn more about the funding system for long-term health care in Minnesota. The first of these public hearings will be in Faribault in September.
Bly is optimistic that these hearings can be a catalyst for substantive long-term care reform next legislative session.
"Nursing homes are a vital part of our communities and we must invest in them," said Bly. "We have an increasingly aging population in Minnesota and its critical we not only commit the necessary resources, but find a sustainable solution to keep our nursing homes funded adequately in the future."
This past legislative session, Bly and other legislators helped pass a 6% funding increase for nursing homes but the Governor vetoed it. The final compromised bill did offer a funding increase, but it was significantly less and does not adequately make up for the cuts in nursing home funding over the past four years.
For more information on the hearing scheduled for August 13th , or if you are interested in attending, contact Rep. David Bly at (651) 296-7065, 557 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155 or via e-mail at rep.david.bly@house.mn.
News Items
- Rep.-elect Bly Selected as Vice Chair of Housing Finance and Policy Committee - (Posted: Dec 21 2012 12:06PM)
- House Passes Flood Relief for Southern Minnesota in Special Session - (Posted: 2010-10-18 00:00:00)
- Governor signs eminent domain law to protect landowners - (Posted: 2010-05-03 00:00:00)
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