Yes on SJR 8201 will enhance WA Cares LTC benefit
By Brian Sullivan / For The Herald
As I and other local elected leaders wrote recently in The Herald, the massive cuts to Medicaid approved by Congress will have a major impact on our communities, and on the health of children, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities.
Fourteen hospitals in our state are at risk for closure, and many state residents will lose their health insurance. Delayed or limited access to care will drive up visits to ERs. As Justin Gill, an APRN in Everett and president of the state Nurses Association, put it: “Many calls to 911, visits to the ER, and hospital admissions are related to preventable falls, missed medications, or common infections.” That’s because many can’t afford help at home; someone to ensure they can move around safely, manage medication, get proper nutrition and hydration. It’s not until they face the need for support that they realize neither traditional health insurance nor Medicare will cover long-term care expenses like a home care aide, home modifications like grab bars, a wheelchair ramp, or assistance with transportation to appointments.
Contrary to public perception, Medicaid is actually a middle-class benefit, especially when you or someone in your family needs long-term care. The cost of care quickly drains most families’ savings, causing people to leave the workforce to care for loved ones. Medicaid is the primary payer for nursing homes and many home- and community-based long-term care supports and services. Federal cuts will make the financial burden for families even harder to bear.
That’s one of the reasons why first responders such as nurses and firefighters support Senate Joint Resolution 8201 on our ballots this election. It’s a rare day when both political parties agree on anything these days. It’s noteworthy that, this year, a bipartisan supermajority in the state Legislature — nearly every Republican and Democratic legislator — voted in favor of putting this measure on the ballot to better grow Washington’s long-term care benefit fund. Also known as WA Cares, this benefit will become more important than ever in the years ahead as our overall population ages.
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/comment-yes-on-sjr-8201-will-enhance-wa-cares-ltc-benefit/