see also:

http://alaskafreepress.com/news/259

3 October 20, 2007 - 5:22am | joed53

Oil tax is just the beginning...

In 1999, the house/senate long term care task force sponsored a bill authorizing an increase in the Personal Care Attendant program. They told other legislators that if the increase wasn't passed, seniors would end up in nursing homes costing $400/day. The bill passed. PCA payments went from $7 million/year to $93 million/year. Before the bill was passed, no one mentioned that there were assisted living homes to care for seniors for less than half the cost of nursing homes. Last February 6, a consultant hired by the Senate Finance committee reported that the Medicaid money paid to the PCA program was excessive. Most states pay 50% each for PCA and waiver programs. In Alaska, PCA gets 66% and waiver programs get 34%.

Why would legislators allow public money to be squandered in this fashion?

Lyda Green was present at the committee meeting when the consultant dropped his bombshell. Senators Dyson and Elton are on both committees. They were also on the long term care task force in 1999.

Not one senator said a word. Here's a sample of the minutes:

MINUTES
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE
February 6, 2007
9:01 a.m.

CALL TO ORDER

Co-Chair Lyman Hoffman convened the meeting at approximately
9:01:28 AM.

PRESENT

Senate Finance Committee:
Senator Lyman Hoffman, Co-Chair
Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair
Senator Charlie Huggins, Vice Chair
Senator Kim Elton
Senator Donny Olson
Senator Joe Thomas
Senator Fred Dyson

Senate Health, Education & Social Services Committee:
Senator Bettye Davis, Chair
Senator John Cowdery
Senator Joe Thomas
Senator Kim Elton
Senator Fred Dyson

Also Attending: SENATOR LYDA GREEN; SENATOR GARY STEVENS; ANDY
COHEN, Director, Pacific Health Policy Group; SCOTT WITTMAN,
Director, Pacific Health Policy Group

'Senator Green characterized the program funding increases as
"sobering". '

'Mr. Cohen stated that efforts to contain the costs of large
programs such as PCA services outside of the waiver should be
addressed. A waiver process has built-in controls on spending
and a comprehensive pre-admissions screening, which considers
each individuals needs. Having a large PCA component outside of
the waiver defeats the effort to provide comprehensive service. '

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