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TO: All Republican Senators
FROM: Senator David J.
Brightbill
DATE: September 2, 2004
SUBJECT: Nursing Home Rate
Relief
As an update on the nursing
home rate relief situation, I am pleased to inform you that Governor Rendell has
finally directed Budget Secretary, Michael Masch, to provide Medicaid rate
increases to Pennsylvania nursing homes. The Governor issued this announcement
on August 26, 2004, having "concluded that our state's nursing homes cannot wait
any longer for the rate relief they need."
As you may recall, on behalf
of the Senate Republican Caucus, I had sent a strong letter to the Governor on
August 24th seeking his personal intervention in providing immediate rate relief
to our nursing homes. (This letter was previously distributed to members of the
caucus.)
Over the summer months, we
had also been in almost constant contact with members of the Administration
pressing that some interim action be taken, since CMS approval of DPW's waiver
request remained unresolved. It is most gratifying that this important step,
which will further protect our nursing homes and the citizens they serve, has
been taken by the Administration.
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