Lawmakers ponder long-term care

Sen. Phillip Erdman of Baird, left, Peggy Rogers, Sen. Dennis Byars of Beatrice, Tresa Watson, Sen. Marian Price of Lincoln and Sen. Jim Jensen of Omaha.

With budget cuts and increased taxes of more than $411 million, and the possibility of the Nebraska Legislature being called back into special session to address even more cuts, four Nebraska legislators were in McCook Wednesday to discuss ways the state can address long-term care Medicaid costs.

Sens. Dennis Byars of Beatrice, Marian Price of Lincoln, Jim Jensen of Omaha and Phillip Erdman of Baird met with representatives of the Department of Health and Human Services, the West Central Area on Aging and administrators of area nursing homes as part of a tour by the Health and Human Services Committee of the Legislature.

The discussion focused on ways the state can save money while encouraging the development of long-term care alternatives to enable older Nebraskans to remain in their homes or in less intensive-care settings as long as possible.

One of those ways was addressed by the state when it introduced a plan in 1998 to help nursing homes develop assisted living units.

This year, "we're looking at expanding home- and community-based services," said Jensen, chairman of the HHS Committee.

Two of the services being considered are in-home, non-medical services such as housekeeping, and respite care for in-home caregivers through adult day-care and adult protection support.

Those services would allow elderly adults to remain in their homes as long as possible, saving the state millions of dollars every year.

"We all have one goal in common," said Jensen. "Providing services to the citizens."

But, Jensen went on to explain, because the state is expecting additional revenue shortfalls he anticipates the Legislature will be called back to special session in late-July and will be forced to look at additional cuts in the $100 million range.

Jensen expects most of the cuts to come from budgets for the University of Nebraska, Medicaid and education.

"Johann's will say this is what we can do and we'll have to see how it all fits together," Jensen said.

"We're going to be asked to make some tough decisions in the near future," said Byars. "We need to know what to do to make this work."

While in town, the committee toured Community Hospital of McCook and the McCook Work Ethic Camp. Following the meeting, the committee drove on to Hastings to discuss the issue with representatives from that area.