State, National Long Term Care Leaders to Warn of Growing Threat to Washington Seniors' Care in Wake of Legislative Session Medicaid Cuts, Deep Cuts in Federal Medicare Funding

Facilities Throughout Florida Face Worsening Cost-Squeeze as $199.5 Million in Medicaid Cuts Loom without extended FMAP Funding from Congress in Conjunction With Federal Health Care Reform's $14.6 Billion Federal Funding Reduction:

Providers and Caregivers Will Sign 10 Foot Petition Urging U.S. Congress To Preserve Medicare Funding and Prevent Further Federal Medicare Cuts That Will Risk Staffing Stability, Jeopardize Local Health Jobs  

ROCKLEDGE, Fla., May 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Caregivers from nursing homes around the Rockledge and Orlando area who represent the national Coalition to Protect Senior Care (CPSC) will hold a news conference and petition signing on Wednesday, May 12, at 10 a.m. at the Huntington Place Care and Rehabilitation Center -- a nursing center that serves up to 100 patients and residents. The purpose of the gathering is to call on federal lawmakers to prevent additional cuts to Medicare, in light of the $199.5 million in state funding Medicaid cuts occurring in Florida.

Orlando Caregivers at skilled nursing facilities are warning of the growing cumulative squeeze that state Medicaid and federal Medicare funding will place on their ongoing ability to meet the growing care needs of Florida's elderly. These caregivers will also stress the direct threat these cuts will have on the jobs of the frontline caregivers who make a key difference in patient quality outcomes.  Medicare has historically been forced to fill the gap when Medicaid does not adequately fund the needs of nursing home patients.

Besides asking state lawmakers to avoid further cuts to Medicaid-funded nursing home care in Florida, caregivers, residents and their family members will sign a 10 foot petition urging federal lawmakers in Washington, D.C. to ensure Medicare-funded nursing home care is not cut further as part of any deficit reduction effort in the weeks and months ahead.

Who:  Tony Marshall, Senior Director of Reimbursement, Florida Health Care Association

Ken Ragin, Administrator, Huntington Place Care and Rehabilitation Center

Tiffany Bishop, CNA Huntington Place and local representative of the Coalition to Protect Senior Care

Danny McKnight, family member of a resident at Huntington Place

When:  10:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 12th

Where:  Huntington Place Care and Rehabilitation Center

1775 Huntington Lane

Rockledge, Florida 32955

On site Contact: Rebecca Reid  410-212-3843

SOURCE Coalition to Protect Senior Care