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Long term care "Choice" bills key
During my first year in office as State Representative, I
have faced several issues affecting senior citizens in the Commonwealth.
Recently, I have agreed to support two pending acts of the legislature, Senate
bills 1301 and 1302, both of which address pre-screening for long term care
services as well as making the choice of where to receive long term care
services: a nursing home or your own home.
The key word here is “choice.” It is my personal belief that long term
care decisions are decisions that affect our quality of life. If given the
opportunity, I think that most of us would prefer the independence and comfort
of staying in our own homes, surrounded by the people that we love for as long
as possible. These two pending bills would allow just that.
Currently, anyone seeking long term care paid for by Mass Health is
pre-screened for medical eligibility prior to admission to a nursing home. These
bills, if enacted, would include an assessment of all other community-based
service options, such as Meals on Wheels, personal care, social day care and
other respite services in addition to this medical pre-screening. Thus, this
pre-screening could lead to Mass Health paying for the needy older person’s
services at home, if appropriate; or in a nursing home if 24 hour skilled care
is needed.
I wholeheartedly agree with the intention of these bills, which is to
allow the senior and his or her family, rather than the state, to make the
“choice.” The passage of these two bills will allow senior citizens and their
families to decide if receiving long term care services in a home, a
community-based setting or in a long term care facility will provide them with
least restrictive setting appropriate to their needs. The dollars that are
provided for these long term care services will follow the individual as their
needs change. In addition, seniors will be able to carefully develop long-term
care plans that best fit their unique needs.
I look forward to continuing to work for the issues that affect all senior
citizens and will strive to keep our treasured programs alive, even in the face
of these difficult fiscal times.
As always, I encourage you to contact either Elder Services or my office
with questions or concerns regarding this or any other issue. My district phone
number is 243-5534, in Boston I can be reached at (617) 722-2582 or by email at
Rep.SmittyPignatelli@hou.state.ma.us.