Case Visits Local Nursing Facility

Torrington – State Representative Jay Case (R-63) visited Valerie Manor on Wednesday, January 13, 2016. Valerie Manor is one of Torrington’s leading nursing home facilities specializing in comprehensive rehabilitation, dementia, respite, hospice, as well as long-term and short-term care services.

Rep. Case met with several members of Valerie Manor’s staff in order to provide them with a legislative overview of the major issues likely to come up for the legislature’s consideration in the 2016 Legislative Session, which convenes on February 3rd.

Some of the topics discussed included increasing Medicaid Nursing facility payments based on a true cost of living adjustment, prescription drug abuse and its overall effect on the health care marketplace, and physician access and consolidation of them to larger health groups.

“Over the past several years, nursing homes have been caring for more clinically complex residents that require a higher level care directly resulting in higher costs per patient day.” said Marisa Jones, Administrator at Valerie Manor, “…even though our costs have increased, the Medicaid Nursing facility rates have been flat since 2007”.

“Facilities such as Valerie Manor are so crucial to our state’s health care system. It’s important that we take into consideration the average cost of living when debating and appropriating Medicaid payments and reimbursement rates to our nursing staff and facilities,” explained Rep. Case, “The financial strains of the current financial trend of nursing facilities across the state is simply not sustainable with rising costs of food, medical supplies and utilities.”

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