LeadingAge NY Testifies at Assembly Hearing on Challenges and Barriers to Non-Medicaid Long Term Care

New York State Assembly Aging Committee Chair Ron Kim, D-Queens, convened a hearing on the challenges and barriers to non-Medicaid long term care this week. LeadingAge NY’s home and community-based services (HCBS) policy analyst, Meg Everett, testified to the association’s support of this portion of the long term care system and the importance of investing in home and community-based care so that the non-Medicaid population can age in place in their homes and communities.

LeadingAge NY raised the need for investment in supporting and developing the long term care workforce as one of its top priorities and highlighted the need to address this challenge with a multi-pronged approach and substantial investment, addressing financial and social barriers to attracting workers and reducing barriers to training, certification, and licensure of providers.

LeadingAge NY highlighted several models of care that are significant to enabling individuals to remain at home, including the State Office for the Aging’s (SOFA) Community Services for the Elderly (CSE) and Expanded In-Home Services for the Elderly (EISEP) programs, social and adult day health care programs, and Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs).

LeadingAge NY’s testimony also highlighted the benefits of affordable senior housing with resident assistant services, focusing on the Medicaid and Medicare savings generated from the model, as well as Medicaid postponement of individuals connected to home-based services and subsidies by resident assistants. We also highlighted the quality care and efficiencies and savings to New York’s long term care system provided by Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE).

LeadingAge NY will continue to represent the membership this upcoming legislative and budget session at future scheduled hearings and highlight the many challenges you are facing, as well as the valuable service you provide to your communities.

Contact: Meg Everett, meverett@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8871