Spokane7
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November 4, 2010 in City
Care oversight office loses funding
After 14 years, Medicaid says claims not allowed
Volunteer long-term care ombudsman Linda Howe, right, makes visits twice a month to Bernice Oatney and her husband, Dick, along with their cat, Puddy, at the Cooper George senior living facility in Spokane.
(Full-size photo)
The future of the state office charged with protecting the rights of residents of nursing homes and assisted-living centers is in doubt after officials learned it will lose a third of its funding.
The state long-term care ombudsman’s office was informed last month that the federal Medicaid funding it has received since expanding the program statewide in 1996 would no longer be available after Dec. 31.
The program, mandated by the federal Older Americans Act, promotes the quality of life of long-term care residents and strives to eliminate abuse, neglect and exploitation. In Washington state, it is administered by the Department of Commerce but receives most of its state and federal funding through the Department of Social and Health Services.
The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services “requests that the State of Washington discontinue claiming the costs of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program for federal Medicaid reimbursement,” wrote Region 10 financial analyst Treva Wornath in an e-mail to DSHS.
CMS spokeswoman Stephanie Magill said the review was part of “ongoing fiscal oversight” of Medicaid expenditures.
The decision will result in a budget reduction to the ombudsman’s office of $306,000 in the current fiscal year and $612,000 in 2012.
“That’s big bucks to us,” said state ombudsman Louise Ryan. “We may have to close programs. We haven’t figured it all out yet.”
The program, which employs Ryan and two staff members and contracts for statewide coverage through 13 regional offices, has an annual budget of about $1.8 million from state and federal funds.
The loss of federal funding is in addition to Gov. Chris Gregoire’s across-the-board budget cuts this year, which amounted to a $44,000 loss to the ombudsman program and a supplemental budget cut of $62,000, effective July 1, Ryan said.
However, even before the loss of Medicaid reimbursement, the ombudsman program was funded at a level that allowed it to serve only about 60 percent of the state’s long-term care residents, according to the Commerce Department website.
In northeastern Washington, the ombudsman program is administered by SNAP, which employs three people to cover Ferry, Spokane, Stevens, Pend Oreille and Whitman counties.
Linda Petrie, the regional ombudsman, and her staff recruit, train and manage 47 volunteers who respond to complaints by residents of veterans’ homes, nursing facilities, adult family homes and boarding homes with a total of 6,700 beds.
“It’s devastating when this kind of thing happens,” said Petrie, who started the program with SNAP in 1996. “You put so much work into building up the volunteers.”
CMS informed the state Department of Social and Health Services last month “that claiming federal match was not allowable,” said Bill Moss, director for Home and Community Services.
Given the current budget shortfall, there are no plans by the state to make up for the loss of federal funding.
Moss said the state will ask CMS for an extension through the fiscal year, which ends June 30.
Without Medicaid, Moss said, “There is not adequate funding to do what is expected of the ombudsman program.”
Rights panel poorly understood 
Dazzeetrader11 on November 04 at 12:13 a.m.
Obama….but you said you’d protect them! Gregoire YOU said you’d protect them…..only the beginning. It was NEVER possible to protect them or anyone else. Things will get much worse before things get much better.
Too many promises depending on a healthy economy and sensible spending. Neither happened. Notice though..the past two years saw reductions that are, indeed, fierce. The program was healthy when “guess who” was running the show.
Id you all bought the Obamacare package, you were majorly hornswaggled. They knew it wouldn’t protect anyone. Still those who sold their soul for Obama’s protection soon found out the Emperor has no clothes. Lots happened in two years. Lots more to come.
misjustice on November 04 at 7:35 a.m.
And the TeaBaggers promised “smaller” government, well, this is just the start. Get used to it!
masomenos on November 04 at 7:35 a.m.
Really? Because they were in such good shape before? Nice. CUT THE BUDGET!! But don’t cut any services. Must be nice to live in such a world….
Diana on November 04 at 10:52 a.m.
Don’t worry, Daisy. Now that the House has a bunch of freshman teabaggers, everything will be okay.
MrNatural on November 04 at 11:31 a.m.
To paraphrase:
Good! This is just another example of a wasteful socialist government program. I’m sure that the private sector and/or a faith based organization could assist these people. But then again maybe these people are just a bunch of needy socialists who drain away and burden our country’s greatness. Why am I responsible for these people if they were too ill prepared for old age. Socialist Muslims like Obama are responsible for this problem by making people reliant on my tax dollars for these liberal bleeding heart social programs. I’ve worked for years to decrease the size of government so I could eventually drown it in a bathtub. I’ve worked hard to pass legislation making it impossible for common people like this to sue honorable industries. I protect the insurance company’s right to make as strong a profit as possible. I support the party of NO and I will continue to be an obstructionist to liberal socialistic proposals like Obamacare and will not compromise. I refuse to raise taxes and I will not raise the debt ceiling unless it benefits our military-industrial complex. I expect future generations should be forced to enlist to aid in our country’s foreign conquests of natural resources and most likely they will need to enlist if they expect to get access to education. I cannot be expected to help anyone because I have myself to think about. The people have spoken in this recent election and get it through your heads Obama, Gregiore and any other liberal commie swine; this country was founded on every man for himself toward wealth. We only idolize and support God fearing capitalists and our only concessions are toward business and commerce. I promise I will fight you liberals at every turn so I can revel in your ineffectiveness.
CAZART!
(To those dear elderly folks who are sadly affected by these cuts I apologize to you for our society’s inability to care about you.)
maria on November 04 at 1:25 p.m.
This is what the Repubs wanted. Less government control, less medicare benefits, more elderly, sick and disabled dying. You own this.
maria on November 04 at 1:26 p.m.
Mr. Natural, I’ve reported you for abusing this forum.
misjustice on November 04 at 1:33 p.m.
How do we solve a problem like Maria? Lol!
; )
MrNatural on November 04 at 1:48 p.m.
I’m sorry maria….
I needed to vent a good sarcastic rant…I’m much better now…if anyone needs me I’ve slid back under my slimy rock like the good little commie bleeding heart socialist reprobate liberal that I am… ;)
maria on November 04 at 1:55 p.m.
I thought you were serious…oh Snap!