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I’m writing to express my serious concerns about the shortage of long-term care beds in Maine, and how inadequate MaineCare reimbursement rates are making this problem even worse. As a social worker at a local hospital, I see firsthand the struggles families face when trying to find the right care for their loved ones. We should all agree that our elders deserve our respect and care in return for their contributions to our communities.
MaineCare rates don’t reimburse facilities enough to cover the cost of care. This means unfair wages for their hero employees, inadequate care for our seniors, facilities limiting the number of MaineCare patients they can take, and even facilities closing like so many have in recent years.
The state is trying to fix things with a new payment system, which is good, but it’s still not clear if it will really make a difference. State lawmakers and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services need to increase MaineCare reimbursement rates, invest in retaining and recruiting good employees, support the nursing facilities that are already doing a good job, and support alternatives to long-term care such as community and in-home services.
Our parents, grandparents, and neighbors deserve to receive the care they need. Addressing embarrassingly inadequate MaineCare reimbursement rates is a crucial step toward ensuring that quality long-term care is accessible to all Mainers.
I urge our elected officials to prioritize this critical issue and work toward real solutions.
Hannah Byram
Bangor
