In late August, the Long-Term Care Imperative wrote DHS Commissioner Lucinda Jesson regarding Aging Services of Minnesota’s concerns with the mandatory consultation/LTC Options Counseling law. They raised a number of concerns including personal autonomy, privacy, provisions for emergencies and short stays, surrogate decision-makers, and other…
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A Walk to End Alzheimer’s
Today, as many as 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s. In addition, 10 million baby boomers are aging, increasing their risk for developing this fatal disease. Now is the time to end this epidemic! But there is something we can do to stop this…
Mixed Results, Mixed Messages for Seniors: One-Time Relief for Some, Long-Term Challenges for All, More Government Intrusion in Personal Decisions
New mandatory transition counseling inserts government appointed counselors into seniors’ personal housing choices The Legislature and Governor Dayton sent mixed messages in the details of their HHS budget agreement. While the agreement does not cut nursing home rates in this biennium and provides a small…
Minnesota Leaders Agree to Budget Framework
Two weeks into the state government shutdown – the longest in history – Governor Dayton and Republican legislative leadership struck a deal outlining a framework for a budget agreement. Governor Dayton announced in a speech yesterday that he was willing to accept the Republican’s June…
Dayton to agree to June 30th GOP offer?
In what some may call a surprising move, Governor Mark Dayton has tenatively agreed to the GOP budget plan that was introduced on June 30th. Gov. Dayton stated: “Despite my serious reservations about your plan, I have concluded that continuing the state government shutdown would be…
Just a day away….(MN state shutdown) UPDATED
With a possible state shutdown just a couple of days away, there is an ongoing fear about what will happen with Medicaid payments to providers. Over the past two weeks, there has been a lot of jostling for position by both sides. Through the work…
Governor Dayton expands list of essential services to include medical assistance payments to providers
Late this afternoon, Governor Dayton announced he will be submitting a supplemental petition Tuesday to expand his proposed list of essential services to include payments to providers who serve seniors and vulnerable adults who rely on medical assistance programs. Dayton also has requested that newly…
ALFA Voices Concerns with Proposed CMS Rule
The Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA), has written a letter expressing its concerns with regulation proposed last April by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. If the rule remains unchanged, ALFA fears that many currently eligible senior living residents will be denied assistance…
Attorney General Files Court Documents on Essential State Services
News from Aging Services of Minnesota: Today, Attorney General Lori Swanson initiated a court action to protect essential services and filed documents in Ramsey County Court on behalf of the state. In her petition to the court, the Attorney General requested that the court mandate…
State shutdown looming
As this week draws to a close, there is a real concern about how the pending state shutdown will affect residents who utilize the state’s Medicaid system known as Elderly Waiver. The Governor and legislative leaders are at loggerheads over resolving the state budget deficit. …