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Testing kits, sanitization materials and personal protective equipment are essential tools in the battle against COVID-19 for senior living providers. Unfortunately, these resources are ballooning budgets for organizations already operating on thin margins.
So as talks of further coronavirus relief packages continue in Congress, a coalition of senior living associations are pushing for direct aid to help cover these costs and ensure resident safety. AHCA/NCAL, Argentum and LeadingAge have taken a clear position: Billions of dollars in relief have already been given to health care providers, including skilled nursing facilities, but private-pay assisted living has so far seen no financial support.
Their call for aid is being echoed by lawmakers too. Rep. Kay Granger recently wrote an editorial on The Hill requesting the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide help and resources to senior living facilities.
“The administration did a good job of prioritizing nursing homes early on in the pandemic so that they could get the personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies they needed. But many of our elderly don’t live in nursing homes; they live in senior living facilities, like Sagora Senior Living in my congressional district,” Granger writes. “We need to focus on getting resources to help these vulnerable Americans. And we need to do it now before it’s too late.”
To facilitate a potential distribution, the senior living group built an online portal where providers could enter their information. The data is now being packaged for the HHS, which has been allocated COVID-19 relief funding from the CARES Act passed in March.
The associations want to stress that there is no guarantee the funds will be received, but the effort does bring the private-pay industry one step closer to seeing it happen. And although the current deadline to share data through the portal has passed, the situation is still developing, so make sure to stay tuned for news of another application opportunity if you weren’t able to make a submission.
Funding extension for Medicaid-certified providers
Although relief funds are still being determined for providers who are solely private pay, there are resources available for those that serve Medicaid beneficiaries as well. HHS has once again extended their application deadline for the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund. The new due date is August 28.
The funds aim to help Medicaid-certified providers who are experiencing lost revenues or increased expenses due to COVID-19, distributing grants of at least 2% of revenue from resident care. The number of Medicaid beneficiaries you serve factors into the amount received.
According to NCAL, nearly 50% of assisted living communities are Medicaid-certified, with one in six residents relying on Medicaid. That’s a significant portion of the senior living industry that’s eligible right now for federal relief funding, so if you qualify, don’t wait to submit your request. AHCA/NCAL have even put together a handy tip sheet to walk you through the process.
