Ohio Health Care Association Response to State-of-the-State

COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ohio's largest organization representing long-term care providers reacted today to Governor John Kasich's first State of the State speech.  "When it came to the state budget, long-term care was the first topic Governor Kasich addressed," said Peter Van Runkle, Executive Director of the Ohio Health Care Association (OHCA). 

"The Governor said he wants to help mom and dad get care at home instead of in a skilled nursing facility, and we agree with that, whenever it's possible," Van Runkle added.  The association for years has supported expansion of home and community-based services for seniors and people with disabilities, and published data show a strong trend in Ohio toward reduced use of skilled nursing facilities and increased funding for home care, which has resulted in lower state spending on skilled nursing facility services. 

Van Runkle pointed out that OHCA has been working with the Kasich Administration to go even farther in rebalancing Ohio's long-term care system, as the Governor suggested in his address.  "At the same time," Van Runkle said, "it's important to recognize that there is a point at which a family can't continue to care for their loved one at home, or when they need high-acuity care after being in the hospital for an injury or illness.  Ohio's skilled nursing facilities are there for them at those times, and need to continue to be there as we go forward.  Over a hundred thousand dedicated women and men work every day in our skilled nursing facilities to provide care when families can't, and they deserve our praise and support too."  

The Ohio Health Care Association is a non-profit association of more than 700 SNFs, assisted living communities, and providers serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, representing over 50,000 individuals. Many OHCA members also provide a variety of home and community-based services.  OHCA is the largest long-term care association in the state, and the only chartered Ohio affiliate of the American Health Care Association, representing more than 12,000 long-term care facilities nationwide.

SOURCE Ohio Health Care Association