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March 2004 Letter To Legislatures
March 24, 2004
Dear Representatives Bosley, Kelly, Larkin, and Pignatelli and Senator Nuciforo:
Most older citizens in the Berkshires have a simple plan for their golden years: they want to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible.
As a Berkshire County legislator, you can help make that happen by supporting the following measures during the upcoming budget debate:
1. Pass the Dollars Follow the Client bill (H.1302) (S.767) as an outside section.
2. Raise the income and asset levels for the "community-based waiver" for the elderly. This will allow more seniors to get home care, and allow the state to claim more federal matching dollars for their care.
3. Pass the nursing home screening bill (H. 1301) as an outside section.
4. Protect our seniors from physical and financial abuse by adding $2 million for protective and self-neglect services (9110-1636) and Money Management.
5. Protect the $96 million in funding for the Prescription Advantage program
(9110-1455). Thanks for your help during last year’s budget debate in restoring this invaluable program.
The Governor recently said that "one of the greatest travesties" in the state is the number of seniors in nursing homes who could still be living in their own homes if only there were sufficient supports in place to enable them to do so. His statement speaks to the desire of most seniors in Berkshire County. We urge you to share this letter with the Chair of Ways and Means and to help us get these home care requests into the budget.
Please get back to us with your position on these budget requests.
Thank you for your staunch and unwavering support of Berkshire elders.
Sincerely,
Mary K. O’Brien, Chair
and members of the Legislative Liaison Committee:
Barbara Bashevkin, William Dudley, and Anthony McBride
Please feel free to lend your support to this request by contacting Governor Romney, your state Representative and/or Senator.