LTC Providers Across the Nation Urged to Contact Congress

LeadingAge is asking members to contact their congressional representatives today to prevent cuts to Medicare Reimbursement for bad debt. Medicare reimreimbursements for bad debt could be cut under a proposed provision in the Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011 (H.R. 3630), legislation currently being finalized by Congress.

You can help by avoid these cuts by calling 866-876-6286 and telling your legislators oppose cuts to Medicare reimbursements to nursing homes and providers of other long-term services and supports. 

What to tell Congress

1. Don’t put Medicare cuts to nursing homes or other long-term care providers into H.R. 3630.
    
2. I am especially concerned about proposed cuts in Medicare payments to nursing homes that cover the losses from uncollectible bad debt.
    
3. This proposal has no justification. Most bad debt results from states’ refusal to cover copayments and other beneficiary responsibilities for nursing home residents who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid.
    
4. Nursing homes have no recourse against states that refuse to cover these costs.
    
5. Cuts to reimbursement for bad debt would add to other significant cuts nursing homes and other providers already have experienced. Medicare payments to nursing homes were cut by 11% this year. Medicaid payments, which cover the vast majority of nursing home residents, have been cut back substantially in most states.
    
6. We cannot absorb more cuts. Enough is enough.

We strongly oppose this provision and we are urging Congress exclude it in the bill’s final language. The aging-services field has already seen tremendous cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. 

Enough is enough.

Social Media Campaigns

Below are some of the messages that you can share via social media.

Facebook and LinkedIn
You can share our this page on your LinkedIn or Facebook pages: http://www.leadingage.org/call_congress.aspx 

Twitter
You can post a tweet about the call-in. We encourage you to create your own (please include #MedicareCuts), or use 1 of the tweets below:

Example Tweets: 

• Let’s protect #LTC providers from #MedicareCuts based on bad debt. Join the @LeadingAge call-in 866-876-6286 http://bit.ly/pMgBR5 
• Today we’re joining @LeadingAge in telling Congress to avoid #MedicareCuts for bad debt: 866-876-6286 http://bit.ly/pMgBR5