News: 

PRESS RELEASE

OKLAHOMA COALITION FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF NURSING HOME CARE

April 19, 2004
Contact:  Mary Brinkley, 640-8040
Homes and Services for the Aging

Oklahoma Coalition for Improving the Quality of Nursing Home Care announced their support today for SB1622.

The Oklahoma public is crying out for reform in many of our states nursing homes. A coalition of respected not-for profit nursing home providers, represented by the Oklahoma Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, and a broad group of consumer organizations and aging advocates have joined hands to write legislation that will help ensure that nursing homes will become more resident focused. The resulting legislation is SB1622. 

This measure proposes a new funding methodology that will reward nursing homes that place emphasis on the use of revenues for direct resident care.

The new funding methodology proposed in SB1622 will not go into effect until 2005, and even then, the new methodology will only affect newly appropriated revenues.  Nursing facilities will be “held harmless” for funding currently in place. Only new revenue (if there is any) that is provided above and beyond current reimbursements will be distributed according to the new methodology.

SB1622 does not mandate any new expenditure. This bill simply states that if any new monies ever become available for a rate increase to nursing homes, the revenue should be distributed according to a new formula which encourages expenditures on direct care, ensuring that new revenues will enhance patient care rather than building excessive profits for providers.

SB1622 has the strong support of not – for - profit nursing homes (Homes and Services for the Aging), the Oklahoma State Council on Aging, The Oklahoma Alliance on Aging, the Oklahoma State Long Term Care Ombudsman, the Oklahoma Nurses Association, the Oklahoma Silver Haired Legislature – Alumni Association, the Oklahoma Medical Directors Association, AARP, the Alzheimer’s Association – Oklahoma Chapter, and the Adult and Career Development Division of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education. 

This bill is the long sought after answer to some of the serious problems experienced in our state’s nursing facilities.