Posted on October 18, 2017
SHELTON, Conn. – On Wednesday, October 18th, State Representative Mitch Bolinsky (R-Newtown) was invited by State Senator Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford), and advocates for seniors, to shed light on the Governor’s proposal to cut funding to senior services. The following statement was released after the press conference:
Rep. Bolinsky stated, “I am very grateful to Senator Kelley for inviting me. As a friend and a Leader of the legislature’s Aging Committee, he knows how important these cuts are to me. Not only do I represent seniors in my community but, at home, my wife and I are caregivers to my Father-in-Law, who has dementia and is currently aging in place with us. The Governor’s elimination of Aging-in-Place funding impacts many in my community and us, personally. His proposed increases to home-care recipients’ copays take unfair aim at the elderly on fixed incomes and also hit their caregivers hard. For my dad, who has Alzheimer’s, having access to occasional respite care was critical to keeping my mom healthy and sane. And here’s Governor Malloy, cutting these and other senior programs again. That’s just unacceptable and I will fight to restore these vital programs.”
“I am extremely disappointed that Governor Malloy has yet again turned his back on America’s greatest generation, it’s shameful,” said Sen. Kelly. “He has decided to make it more and more difficult for Connecticut seniors to live safely and independently at home. These damaging cuts to aging-in-place programs will permanently inhibit Connecticut’s ability to serve our growing senior population in their homes – which is more cost-effective. What’s even more frustrating are the cuts to seniors have continued to roll out of the governor’s office, cuts that I have continued to fight against since I was elected to office. Our seniors should not have to pay for Governor Malloy’s fiscal mismanagement of our state. A state budget sets priorities and reflects what the core values of Connecticut should be. It’s reprehensible that Governor Malloy continues to disregard both seniors and their caregivers.”
These cuts often hurt seniors with the least financial ability to pay for the services they need, including:
• New Copay added to CT Home Care Services for Elders (2009)
• Home Care Copay increased (7%) (2011)
• Reduction in the Community Spouse Protected Amount (2011)
• Reduction in the Personal Needs Allowance (2011)
• Home Care Copay increased again (9%) (2015)
• Level 1 home care for seniors at risk of nursing home placement CLOSED (2015)
• Alzheimer’s respite care cut (2015)
• Alzheimer’s respite care cut again (2016)
• $6 Million in Aging-in-Place funding CANCELLED (2017)
“Over the past few years, seniors have faced tens of millions of dollars in cuts to home care services, senior nutrition and additional core services; new co-pays and fees; and a more than 25 percent reduction in Alzheimer’s respite,” said Nora Duncan, state director of AARP Connecticut. “These cuts often hit the same seniors – ones with the least financial ability to pay – multiple times and threatens their ability to age with dignity at home.”
The governor’s latest budget has proposed even deeper cuts to aging-in-place initiatives here in Connecticut:
“Healthcare at home has gained significant importance in the CT State budget debate as home-based care is patient-preferred, highly cost-effective, and a proven savings vehicle for state taxpayers. State data from the Department of Social Services indicates that home and community providers have saved the state budget more than $1-Billion between 2006 and 2016 by transitioning Medicaid clients from nursing homes and hospitals to home-based care through the Money Follows the Person (MFP) and other person-centered Medicaid initiatives. Our Medicaid system is fragile. Home based providers have not received a reimbursement rate increase in 10 years and are required to do more with less. Providers are opting out of the Medicaid program due to intense regulatory burdens. Access to home-based care for our most fragile state Medicaid beneficiaries and seniors is becoming a challenge. Jeopardizing a system that is working, filling a vital need, and creating significant cost savings to the State budget is not an option,” said CEO, CT Association for Healthcare at Home, Deborah Hoyt.
“The Southwestern Agency on Aging hopes that strong consideration will be given to the importance of keeping older adults healthy and in their own homes. Programs like the Connecticut Home Care Program and Medicare Savings Program help the State avoid millions of dollars in nursing facility expense by providing low cost, in-home alternatives to nursing home care. Dismantling the progress and the savings achieved by these programs will result in poor health outcomes for older adults and even greater State expenditures for institutional Medicaid coverage,” said Executive Director of the Southwestern CT Agency on Aging, Marie Allen.
“CTNAELA and our attorneys work diligently to benefit Connecticut’s Seniors, Disabled, Veterans, and their families. We continue to work with, and support Sen. Kelly to preserve our clients’ rights, particularly in light of the current State budget issues. Our efforts aim to allow our clients the support to remain in the community at a fraction of what it would otherwise cost the State to institutionalize them. We look forward to working with Sen. Kelly and the administration to benefit Connecticut’s Seniors, and reduce the impact programs may have on the State budget,” said President of CTNAELA, Amy Orlando.
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