ST. PAUL—State Representative Jim Newberger, R-Becker, said the Minnesota House majority’s plan to cut $26 million dollars next biennium from senior living has rural nursing homes very concerned. Over two dozen members from the GOP’s Rural Caucus participated in a press conference Monday to highlight the proposed cuts, and called on House Democrats to fully fund the promises made to Minnesota seniors.
“Budgets are about priorities, and with Democrats proposing to fund tens of millions of dollars in wasteful government spending on bloated bureaucracy and metro spending projects, it’s simply unacceptable to be making cuts to seniors and our most vulnerable citizens,” Newberger said.
Newberger explained that nursing homes have been forced to do more with less for years, and now the DFL’s reckless budget cuts will jeopardize 115 senior living facilities, 15,000 long-term care workers, and countless rural communities.
“Our nursing homes and senior care centers deserve better than what the Democrats have proposed. It’s irresponsible to be using shifts, gimmicks, and cuts on nursing home and senior care funding to pay for increased spending in other budget areas. It’s time to cut the waste, streamline and reduce our bloated bureaucracy, and make good on the promises we’ve made to our seniors."
Newberger said that House Democrats are claiming an increase in nursing home funding in their budget, but he explained that the “increase” actually amounts to a net cut of $26 million dollars in the 2014-2015 biennium baseline. He went on to say that $26 million dollars, at minimum, was needed to maintain current service levels at nursing home and senior care facilities across the state.
"How is it that the Democrats are willing to spend over one-hundred million dollars on a healthcare exchange web site, but are not willing to adequately fund nursing homes?" Newberger concluded.