Long-Term Care - Illinois General Assembly

ILLINOIS HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION
The legislature should not plan services only on the basis of available appropriations, but a
combination of individual needs and state resources. Do not commit to providing a service if the
economic and human resources are not available to provide a quality service.
Prepare as much as possible for a seamless network of services that recognizes needs from
primary care to acute and sub-acute care.
IDPH should implement legislation passed a year ago that would allow use of up to 50% of civil
monetary penalties paid in fines by nursing homes for demonstration projects to improve qualityof-life
in nursing homes that then can be exported to nursing homes throughout the state.
Continue progress in the use of an MDS-based system to measure acuity levels coupled with
cost reports from nursing facilities to adequately fund the system.
Commit up-front to reimburse for new services on the basis of patient diagnosis and needs
coupled with what it would reasonably cost to provide the services.
Work with health professionals to develop critical pathways to move people back and forth
throughout the system as the health care needs change.
Develop an effective case management system focused on both adequacy of service as well as
the cost-effectiveness of the setting in which the service is delivered.
LIFE SERVICES NETWORK
Recognize that a priority of government is to help citizens who cannot help themselves.
• Restore Medicaid funding that was taken away last year.
• Change the state’s budgeting priorities.
• Don’t expand the provider tax.
• Explore incentives for facilities to diversify their funding mix – Medicaid, Medicare and
private pay and generate public support.
• Explore a nursing home Medicaid disproportionate share program in regions with high
poverty rates and unemployment.
• Encourage the purchase of long-term care insurance.
• Support the enactment of the current Nursing Assistant Career Ladder Law and provide
funding for the salary increases tied to the advanced status.
• Use CMP (civil monetary penalties) for education programs to encourage the
development of frontline staff in their clinical skills and help staff to learn about and
implement culture change practices.
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