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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Dale Lueck (R)

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HHS BILL BOOSTS SENIOR CARE FACILITIES, IMPROVES CARE FOR AGING MINNESOTANS

Wednesday, April 29, 2015
 
ST. PAUL — Senior care facilities throughout Minnesota – including those in House District 10B – would receive substantial funding increases through Health and Human Services bill (H.F. 1638) which the House passed early Wednesday.
 
 
"Senior and disabled care has been a priority for me from the moment the people sent me to the Capitol," said Rep. Dale Lueck, R-Aitkin. "I have insisted that we increase our investment in this important area, including increased compensation for the dedicated professionals who provide that care. Our proposal offers more funding than either Gov. Mark Dayton or the Senate proposals."
 
 
The House HHS bill implements a statewide reimbursement system that will result in a funding increase for nursing homes, particularly in Greater Minnesota, totaling more than $138 million. In addition, the bill includes $90 million for a 5-percent cost-of-living adjustment for home and community-based care workers.
 
 
A bill Lueck authored to ensure unused nursing home beds are redistributed to areas of the state in need is included in the HHS package, which passed the House 72-60. It now advances to a conference committee, which will work to resolve differences between respective House and Senate HHS proposals in preparation for final passage.
 
 
"I encourage the governor and the Senate to join us and move forward with the House's imitative that invests in our nursing homes, assisted living facilities, in home care services for our seniors and disabled," Lueck said. "This is extremely important as our state's population ages, especially here in District 10B, where approximately 43 percent of our citizens are drawing social security retirement benefits."
 
 
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