FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 2, 2010

Leah Farrell, Policy Analyst, 518-320-7100, lfarrell@cdrnys.org
Diane Coleman, Director of Advocacy, 585-546-7510, dcoleman@cdrnys.org

(Rochester, NY): Today Crain’s Health Pulse (Friday, April 2, 2010) noted that after the completion of the New York State budget, Lieutenant Governor Ravitch will turn his sights on reigning in Medicaid spending, particularly in the area of long term care. According to Crain’s, “As part of his study, he’ll look at spending on home care and personal care, the fastest-growing sector of Medicaid.”

“That’s just plain wrong,” said Bruce Darling, President and CEO of the Center for Disability Rights. According to the most recent data from Thomson Reuters (formerly Medstat), from 2007 to 2008, nursing facility spending in New York increased 7% or nearly $477 million. By comparison, personal care just grew by 2.4% or $69 million. When you look at the spending for “Total Home Care” according to the Thomson Reuters data, spending actually decreased by $211 million, dropping 2.4% from 2007 to 2008. Nursing facility spending far outpaced personal care and home care both in terms of percentage and overall dollars.Darling continued, “Either the Lieutenant Governor is a liar or he doesn’t know how to count from one to seven. If you know that seven is more than two, you realize that home care and personal care are not the fastest-growing sectors in Medicaid.” Advocates are concerned that the administration is misrepresenting data to push a policy agenda that favors nursing facilities over community based services.

Advocate concerns are bolstered by Thomson Reuters data. In 2008, after a dramatic increase that brought New York spending on nursing facility placements to $7.2 billion, New York spent more per capita for nursing facilities, $371.91 per capita, than any other state. Connecticut spends $354.67 per capita and Pennsylvania is a distant third at $312.70 per capita.

Advocates are concerned about the steady stream of negative propaganda that is coming from the administration about the cost of community-based services. Despite volumes of testimony and a court decision that recognized the cost-effectiveness of supportive housing over adult home placement, the administration continues to fight against giving people with disabilities the opportunity to live in the community with supports. Now the administration is attacking home care.

“There is a little thing called civil rights,” said Chris Hilderbrant, Chief Operating Officer of the Center for Disability Rights. The 1999 U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead held that under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, services must be provided in the most integrated setting appropriate to an individual’s needs. The administration continues to invest exorbitant amounts of tax dollars in the antiquated model of nursing facilities and institutional placement, and then blames community-based services for the increase in Medicaid spending. “It’s just a smear campaign,” said Hilderbrant.

“Ravitch should be ashamed of himself.”