There is an online program that lets YOU tell lawmakers what our seniors need

Posted in News by admin on April 7th, 2010

A Letter from Jurgen Arndt, President/CEO of the Niagara Lutheran Health System

As you are probably well aware, New York State is in a budget crisis and is proposing budget cuts that would be disastrous for health care providers like the Niagara Lutheran Health System.  Governor  Paterson’s most recent executive budget proposal calls for $1 Billion in health care provider taxes and cuts — on top of nearly $4 Billion in cuts ALREADY ENACTED over the last 2 years.  This latest round of cuts would be devastating to Niagara Lutheran and the communities we serve.

In January 2010, we finally received our Medicaid reimbursement rates that are effective back to April 2009.  The overall annual impact of these rates was a DECREASE in income of ($371,750) for 2009.

Unbelievably, the cuts just keep coming.  In his 2010-2011 executive budget the Governor has proposed cutting an additional $400 Million in long-term care funding, of which $140.2 Million would be from Nursing Homes like NLHRC.  These decreases would be in addition to the ones we received going back to April 2009.  The overall total 2010 impact of these changes is estimated to decrease our income by more than $687,750.

We, and other skilled nursing facilities like ours, need your help. We have to stand together and send our message out so that lawmakers simply cannot ignore it.

Here’s how you can help.

Our association with the not-for-profit group called the New York Association of Homes & Services for the Aging (NYAHSA) and their grass-roots effort  called  “Partners in Quality – Families and Friends”  allows everyday people to be heard by lawmakers in Albany.  All you need is a compassionate heart and Internet access.

If you’d like to get involved, you can

• check out their new website devoted to this topic at www.respectnyseniors.org or www.NYAHSA.org
• send  your name and email address to my attention at NLHS, 64 Hager Street, Buffalo, New York  14208
• send an email to info@NiagaraLutheran.org indicating your interest in participating.  We will forward your information to them.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help and support.    ~ Jurgen A. Arndt, President/CEO, Niagara Lutheran Health System