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Home About Us Advocacy Senior Advocacy in Action Alerts

Senior Advocacy in Action Alerts

Below is the most recent Senior Advocacy in Action Alert. To view past alerts check out our news items tagged with advocacy.

4/25/2013 4:25pm

Funding increases are needed for programs to help older adults stay independent in their own home. The MI Choice Medicaid Waiver program and the Office of Services to the Aging save the state money and meet the needs of a growing senior population. Action needs to be taken today to protect Michigan seniors!

What you can do:

PLEASE contact your legislators and ask them to support the Governor’s $18 million proposed funding increase in the MI Choice Medicaid Waiver program, and a 5% increase in OSA funding. If your legislators already support this funding, be sure to say THANK YOU! A list of state Senators and Representatives for our 9 counties follows:

Talking Points:

  • The Office of Services to the Aging (OSA) has taken $10 million in funding cuts between 2009 and 2011 (27%). This at a time when more and more seniors are requiring services.  The OSA provides programs such as Meals-on-Wheels, home-based and community services, and volunteer programs. These programs, funded by non-Medicaid funds, are also major contributors to keeping older adults in their own homes and out of expensive Medicaid funded nursing homes beds.  The dollar savings to the state are very clear.
  • Meals-on-Wheels, an OSA funded program,  was cut by $3.3 million from 2009-2011. An additional       $500,000 was cut from this vital program this year by the federal sequester! The value of a home       delivered meal is obvious. Less apparent is the intangible benefit:  a Meals-on-Wheels delivery person       may be the only person an older adult sees all week. The value of that human interaction to the senior is immeasurable.
  • The program saves the state money. MI Choice Medicaid Wavier program, which includes the Nursing Facility Transition program costs an average of $52/day compared to average nursing home costs of $172/day.
  • The Nursing Facility Transition Program (NFT) has immediate savings. Because the program transitions individuals out of a more costly nursing facility, there is immediate savings to the state and taxpayers. Last year over 1,600 people transitioned state-wide saving Medicaid roughly $38 million.

 

Who to Contact:

Rick Snyder--Governor  (517) 373-3400   Rick.Snyder@michigan.gov

 

Representatives:                                        

Senators                                       



Visit the blog to leave comments about this senior advocacy action alert

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