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Skilled nursing facilities (SNF) receive an annual Medicare "market basket" adjustment that reflects changes in the costs of providing quality care to beneficiaries. Approximately 70 percent of SNF costs relate to staffing. To ensure "program efficiency, quality and sustainability," the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) determined SNF cost changes justify a 3.3 percent increase in fiscal 2008. This market basket increase went into effect on October 1, 2007. However, the House of Representatives passed legislation earlier this year that would eliminate this adjustment in 2008 - cutting $2.7 billion in Medicare funding for seniors in nursing homes over five years, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

As Congress returns to Washington on December 3rd to finally resolve this key health care policy matter, Congress should ensure that the 3.3 percent funding adjustment is preserved. Tell me more

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

On behalf of our nation's 3 million Medicare beneficiaries who rely and depend upon skilled nursing care annually -- and the 1.7 million men and women who care for them -- I respectfully urge you to oppose any cuts to this critical care.

Based upon my professional clinical experience, I have a growing concern that implementation of Medicare cuts will endanger the quality of care and quality of life of our most vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries.

In providing quality, 24-hour care and services to seniors - the intensive care and services only facilities like ours have the capacity to provide - nursing homes like ours rely upon an annual Medicare cost of living update to meet our rising costs, a full 70 percent of which are related to staffing. This crucial Medicare update allows for annual cost of living increases for staff, increases a facility's ability to enhance staffing, and provides the vital resources needed to improve and refurbish the facility with modern equipment and technology.

In order to ensure continued progress on quality improvements, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) sensibly recommended a 3.3 percent funding increase for the next year to help meet these costs, and to help make certain quality improvement programs like those at my facility are maintained.

From the standpoint of front line caregivers like me, who see first-hand the challenges associated with caring for frail, needy seniors, Medicare cuts like those now being considered would have a disastrous impact on patients, threaten the jobs of those responsible for the most intimate care needs of patients, and return Medicare funding levels to those seen almost a decade ago.

There is no legitimate way to defend a public policy approach of this nature.

To ensure our care giving profession can continue to provide the best quality of care available - now and in the critical years ahead as baby boomers require more long term care - I urge you in the strongest possible terms to ensure the reasonable 3.3 percent Medicare funding update is preserved. The linkage between payment stability and quality improvements is unmistakable, and at stake is the health and well being of thousands of your most vulnerable constituents with growing complex care needs.

Thank you in advance for your support on this critical issue.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

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