Long-Term Care - Illinois General Assembly

• Increase the personal needs allowance. If the personal needs allowance had kept pace
with inflation, it would be over $90/month.
• Care in nursing homes will improve only when the people working in them feel
personally obligated to do a good job. The CNA abuse/neglect registry is at least an
attempt to hold CANs liable for poor care. There is nothing comparable for people
higher up on the food chain. The Department of Professional Regulation does not even
open files on the large majority of referrals the Department of Public Health makes to it,
of medical professionals and nursing home administrators who appear to have violated
their responsibilities under the Nursing Home Care Act. Public Health does not bother to
make referrals of mandatory abuse/neglect reporters who ignore their legal obligations.
Public Health and the Attorney General should be training state’s attorneys, sheriffs, and local
police departments on criminal laws relevant to protecting nursing home residents, including the
accountability provisions of the Criminal Code, and mandatory reporting requirements. Public
Health should be working with the Hospital Association to train and retrain hospital employees
(especially emergency room personnel) on mandatory abuse/neglect reporting laws.
PROVENA PINE VIEW CARE CENTER
It is increasingly difficult to generate a reasonable income while providing quality care, due
primarily to the poor reimbursement given in this state for residents on Public Aid. Direct costs
for providing care at Provena runs almost $140/day, but the state pays only $92.50.
Traditionally, Medicare and private pay residents have helped to offset this difference, but the
recent cuts in Medicare and the declining number of private paying residents makes these
options less viable. Without additional state funds, nursing homes cannot pay for the staff
necessary to provide quality care. Essential services must be funded first. Care of the frail
elderly should be an essential funding priority for the legislature.
• Restore the 5.9% cut in Medicaid funding for nursing homes.
• Stop initiatives that tax providers who are already burdened with financial problems.
• Encourage the purchase of long-term care insurance.
• Explore Medicaid disproportionate share programs in regions with high poverty rates.
• Explore incentives for facilities to diversity their funding.
• Support quality care of the frail elderly in various settings.
• Work cooperatively with all of the long-term care organizations to provide a quality
system of care for the frail elderly of Illinois.
RDK MANAGEMENT – HERRIN PROFESSIONAL CENTER
The MDS or Minimum Data Set, which is currently used by all Illinois nursing homes to assess
resident condition, is a very important tool which can be utilized to develop Medicaid rates
based on actual resident needs and abilities rather than by the arbitrary and subjective methods
previously used. As of July 1, 2003, facilities are submitting the MDS information electronically
on a quarterly basis. There must be funding in order to have a total transition to this new
system. Continue to meet the needs of our southern Illinois seniors. Make sure the MDS
system of funding is implemented. Work with the healthcare profession to find the dollars to
fund the transition to the new system.
Staff deserves to be rewarded for the work they perform.
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