Ombudsman Funding Cut in Gregoire Budget

The Washington State Senior Citizens’ Lobby sent the following letter to Governor Gregoire, Washington State Senate and the Washington State House of Representatives:

"The Washington State Senior Citizens’ Lobby understands that the Proposed Supplemental Budget cuts $327,000 from the Washington State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program's budget for the federally mandated Long Term Care Ombudsman Program... 


...We approve of the Governor's plan to raise revenue through a temporary one-half cent sales tax. However, we strongly believe that regardless of other efforts, the Washington State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program must be supported. The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is critical to the welfare of the thousands of residents of the state’s long term care facilities. These include nursing homes, boarding homes, adult family homes and all other residential care facilities for aged and disabled persons."

The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, working with the Washington State Senior Citizens' Lobby, AARP, Disability Rights and others, has been a leader in helping pass reform legislation that are models across the nation for protecting vulnerable adults. As noted above, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program maximizes benefits while reducing costs by training volunteers as the front line, dealing directly with residents and care providers. Late this summer, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) cut funding of this program by $612,000.  Combined with failure to restore Washington State funds creates a 50% cut in the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.  It will have a devastating impact on the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program's ability to reach residents, especially those in rural areas and adult family homes, because of the “inefficiencies” in trying to reach them, even though they are most in need because of their isolation. We respectfully suggest that even in the worst of times you and the state legislature can, and must, restore the State’s contribution currently needed to keep this critical program available for all the residents of long term care facilities."