Governor Kaine Will Speak on Improving Health Care at the 2007 Winter Legislative Conference

The Governor and members of the General Assembly are increasingly being told that “institutional” long term care facilities must be replaced with a wide variety of home and community based programs and that the Commonwealth needs to step up efforts to keep Medicaid beneficiaries and others out of these institutional settings.  Individuals claiming to be advocates for your residents are trying very hard to convince policy makers that nursing facilities are not capable of providing high quality care for Virginia’s most vulnerable citizens. These advocates are not telling the whole story and apparently will use whatever means necessary to redirect critical funding from facility-based care to fund less efficient home and community-based services.

Don’t let them have the last word!  Come to Richmond February 13-14th and help tell the other side of the story to members of the General Assembly.  Tell them that you provide quality long term care that can’t be duplicated elsewhere and that 85% of Virginia nursing home residents and families believe that they receive good to excellent care.  We must protect long term care facilities as a vital part of the health care continuum.

Governor Tim Kaine will speak to us on Wednesday, February 14th about his vision for improving health care in the Commonwealth and many members of the General Assembly will be with us Tuesday evening February 13th for a reception.  Don’t miss this opportunity to share your perspective and tell them how you feel about what the other groups are saying!  As a great side benefit, this program also provides the opportunity to receive up to nine hours of CEU credit.  For more information or on-line registration go to the VHCA website.

Come to Richmond on February 13-14th and let your voice be heard!