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Benchmark Assisted Living
QUESTION: GROSS: "WHAT DID VILSACK KNOW, WHEN DID HE KNOW IT ON FALSIFIED NURSING HOME
REPORTS?"
"Asleep at switch or deliberately covering up safety threat to seniors?"
Reports that the State Fire Marshall's Office falsified safety inspections at
Iowa nursing homes raises questions about Tom Vilsack's ability to manage state
government and protect some of the state's most vulnerable citizens, Republican
gubernatorial candidate Doug Gross said today.
"Tom Vilsack is the man of 1,000 excuses. He'll blame the state budget,
Republicans in the Legislature and everyone but himself. Being the chief
executive means taking responsibility for what happens on your watch, as well
as taking credit. More important, being chief executive means you know what's
important and then you put your resources there," Gross said at the WHO-TV 13
Over 50 Lifestyle Exposition co-sponsored by the American Association of
Retired Persons. "As governor, you can bet I'll know how to set priorities, and
I'll make sure the state does its job."
WHO-TV has reported that the State Fire Marshall's Office falsified nursing
home safety inspection reports between 1999 and 2001. The alleged wrongdoing,
which has prompted a criminal investigation, was discovered by federal
officials, the station reported.
"It appears that the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals failed to
detect this activity," Gross said. "It was up to federal officials to catch and
stop it. In the months since that discovery, Tom Vilsack has never said a word
to the public about this threat to the public safety. He should tell Iowans
what he knew, when he knew it and whether he was asleep at the switch all this
time or deliberately covering up a safety threat to senior citizens."
Gross also noted that Vilsack has been raiding the Senior Living Trust Fund
since the summer of 2001 to pay for Medicaid. The Senior Living Trust Fund was
created to provide seniors with alternatives to the nursing home residency.
Instead of building up the endowment he promised seniors, almost $100 million
has been borrowed from the fund while the state has stopped providing grants to
convert nursing home beds into assisted living units.
"Instead of reforming Medicaid to control spending, as 41 states did this year,
Iowa's Department of Human Services plans to empty the Senior Living Trust Fund
by 2005 to pay for more Medicaid spending," he said.
One alternative to nursing home care is assisted living, Gross said. While Tom
Vilsack promoted assisted living, his Department of Elder Affairs was keeping a
double set of books on safety inspections of these facilities until a newspaper
investigation disclosed the practice.
"The result was a knee-jerk reaction where the Department of Inspections and
Appeals is now going around and telling assisted living facilities that they
have residents who need a higher level of care. If the facilities don't kick
those residents out, the state says it will take away the facility's license,"
Gross said. "Those people being forced out are ones who are paying for the care
on their own, and their personal physicians and families believe that assisted
living is the appropriate level of care. That heavy-handed conduct is just
wrong."
Gross continued, "The governor's record on senior issues is one of phony safety
inspections at nursing homes, two sets of books at the Department of Elder
Affairs and raiding the Senior Living Trust Fund. It certainly makes you
wonder, 'Whose side is Tom Vilsack really on?'"
Gross said his administration would:
Assist Iowans in preparing for their senior years by developing and
implementing an educational program that helps seniors understand their future
needs after retirement and which increases their opportunity for a successful
retirement.
Direct the state's insurance commissioner to work with the insurance
industry to establish a benchmark long-term care insurance policy that can be
offered to Iowans.
Protect the integrity of the Senior Living Trust Fund and pay back all
the funds that have been taken for other purposes.
Establish a regulatory environment where there is a common-sense
balance between the safety of seniors and their desire to live where and how
they choose
Hire additional long-term care ombudspersons and provide additional
technical support to local care review committees.
Give older Iowans and their families the right to appeal when the state
determines that a senior should be moved from a facility to a higher level of
care.
Direct state agencies to review the laws and regulations relating to
seniors to determine if these have an adverse impact on older Iowans' rights.
Develop additional incentives to permit family members, friends,
neighbors, and others to help deliver in-home services to seniors and Iowans
with special
needs.
There's very little doubt that he knew. The only question is, "When
did he know?" One question the media needs to ask, is, "Did Wiltax know of
this BEFORE or AFTER the previous Director of Public Safety was relocated to
the position of Director of the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy?"
ANSWER: dontcha just luv the hypocrisy of these jackasses?
i mean, they wanna place all the responsibility of florida's elections on
the minions
but when it comes to a democrat governor, POOF, there goes their
credibility.
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