LI Elder Law Firm Hosts Letter-Writing Campaign to Demand Full Medicaid Funding For Nursing Homes

A Melville-based elder law firm is hosting a letter-writing campaign on Thursday from 5-7 p.m. to demand full Medicaid funding for nursing homes.

Cona Elder Law is calling on community members to join the campaign, urging New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul and state legislators to fully fund Medicaid and increase reimbursement rates by 20 percent.

“Advocacy makes a difference,” Jennifer Cona, founder and managing partner of Cona Elder Law, said in a news release about the letter-writing campaign. “Elected officials rely on constituent feedback when making budget decisions.”

The letter-writing campaign is designed to help ensure that Medicaid payments stay in line with increasing costs. Most of the care of long-term nursing home residents in New York is funded by Medicare. Yet currently, according to Cona Elder Law, nursing homes are reimbursed at only 50 percent of the actual cost of care. That gap can prompt staffing shortages, overcrowding, safety concerns, facility closures, leading to inadequate care for older adults and vulnerable residents.

Now, skilled nursing facility advocates say, there is a $1.6 billion funding gap for the care provided. As a result, nursing homes across the state are struggling to provide the quality care to adults in the region.

The letter-writing campaign aims to raise awareness.

“Direct outreach is the most effective way to influence policy and protect our aging population,” Cona said.

The event, which requires registration, is open to the public.

This press release was originally posted on Long Island Business News