Louisiana Nursing Home Crisis
This is only my second-ever post, I'm mainly a lurker here. I just can't stop thinking of our precious elders in the state of Louisiana after reading a post a few days ago about the situation there with cuts that will leave tens of thousands potentially homeless. It fills me with panic and pain. I wasn't able to find an update here but did locate an article on the Louisiana Nursing Home Associations website dated yesterday. Please, if anyone else has info., share!!!
[link:http://lnha.org/newsroom/18955-Residents-Forced-Out-of-Nursing-Homes-Overnight|
"18,955 Residents Forced Out of Nursing Homes Overnight - Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Louisiana’s proposed state budget includes a devastating cut that eliminates the Medicaid Long Term Care Special Income Level Program Eligibility Group, which provides health care services for approximately 80% of nursing facility residents. These Medicaid recipients can expect a letter later this week announcing that, as of July 1, 2018, they will no longer qualify for their current Medicaid coverage. Once they're declared ineligible by the state, they will have to be discharged from their nursing facility overnight, leaving their families to scramble to find other housing options and the vital health care services that they require to continue to live. And, unfortunately for many nursing facility residents, there are no other options. In addition, most nursing facilities will be forced to close, which will restrict access to all residents and leave more than 25,000 Louisianans unemployed.
The Louisiana Nursing Home Association (LNHA) is continuing to work closely with our members, residents, families and staff to identify next steps for those who will be affected by these unimaginable cuts.
This is not the time to take sides in a political debate. We are not concerned with politics, but with the health, safety and livelihood of tens of thousands of Louisiana’s elderly who will be hurt. On behalf of our residents, families and staff, we are hopeful that our elected officials will soon restore these cuts."
I live with one elderly parent. The other passed some time ago. The thought of ANYONE'S elderly parent, spouse, sibling, family member, friend out on the streets incenses me. And, I'm sure!!!, you too. Let's make our voices heard. Please someone more "in the know" let us know who to flood with our emails, letters, calls....
= new reply since forum marked as read
This rogue administration has been responsible for so many things designed to harm Americans, but this one is arguably the worst! 
Louisiana will put 37,000 Medicaid recipients on notice that they could lose benefits
Link: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/05/people_who_are_elderly_disable.html
"We can't just afford to bury our heads in the sand," said Jay Dardenne, Gov. John Bel Edwards' chief budget officer and the state's commissioner of administration. "We tried to delay this as long as we possibly can."
Those receiving notification include around 20,000 people who live in nursing homes, thousands of people with intellectual disabilities who live in group homes and those who receive home health care assistance. All of their support services would be at risk, including the ability to stay in a nursing home, if state Medicaid funding is slashed.
The Louisiana House approved a state operating budget last month that would eliminate four Medicaid programs for the disabled and elderly. Notices are scheduled to go out to those affected Thursday (May 9), though their delivery has been pushed back previously. Dardenne said the 37,000 people will also be contacted to see if they qualify for some other kind of Medicaid service that isn't proposed for elimination.
And, Baton Rouge - The Advocate:
At 'difficult' hearing, public begs Louisiana lawmakers for health care help; nursing home patients warned
Link: http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/legislature/article_05b22a94-5234-11e8-b3f0-3311766dc2fd.html
About 35,000 letters will be mailed Thursday to people who rely on Medicaid health care programs deemed "optional" under federal guidelines. The letters include 17,000 to nursing home residents across the state whose assistance would end July 1 if the Legislature doesn't cover funding for those programs in a budget that is currently being crafted.
"These people cannot be taken care of at home and many of them are at an age where there is no home to return to," said Mark Berger, executive director of the Louisiana Nursing Home Association, often a politically powerful group in the State Capitol.
Beyond patients with mental and physical limitations being threatened with the possibility of having to move out, Berger said the news also could trigger layoffs at nursing homes.
"This budget cut looms large over the entire program," he said.
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That was a quote from the Lousiana Nursing Home Association, I respectfully beg to differ too!!! It is absolutely time to take sides. All of us stand to lose a lot if we do not. 
I have replied to others 100 times, this is only my second time writing a post. 
Rec!
That "this is not the time to take sides" was an excerpt from the Lousiana Nursing Home Association. Not me.
Hearing about all the protections that Trump has succeeded in rolling back, I've repeatedly wondered if he wants us all to die. In this case, these people will die. It's criminal! 
