(Alexandria, Va.) – Maggie Elehwany, Argentum Senior Vice President, Public Affairs issued the following statement on the Health Resources & Services Administration announcement that with the passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, no further payments will be made to long-term care providers under the Provider Relief Fund.
“The pandemic had a devastating impact on the healthcare system, particularly the 31,400 assisted living communities across the country that faced unprecedented challenges, including staffing shortages, increased costs, decreased revenue, and more.
Despite providing frontline care for nearly 2 million seniors, whose average age is 85, and state relief and resources for assisted living caregivers throughout the pandemic were woefully inadequate. In fact, assisted living communities, unlike other long-term care providers, were not included in initial federal relief efforts. While senior living providers incurred more than $30 billion in Covid-related losses, they received 1/12 of the federal relief appropriated for skilled nursing facilities, despite caring for roughly the same number of people. The sustained losses and slow or nonexistent federal relief, coupled with increasing strain on the workforce, have left the majority of senior living providers operating at a financial loss, reducing new admissions and relying on overtime shifts and pricey agency hires to maintain operations. Many have been forced to close.
The Provider Relief Fund (PRF) provided much-needed financial assistance to senior living providers who were struggling to stay afloat during the pandemic. Argentum is disappointed that these payments will now stop as many providers have waited years for decisions on funding requests that will now never be realized. The loss of these payments will likely lead to some providers closing their doors or reducing the number of services they offer. This is a disservice to assisted living communities and the seniors they care for.”
About Argentum
Argentum is the leading national association exclusively dedicated to supporting companies operating professionally managed, resident-centered senior living communities and the older adults and families they serve. Since 1990, Argentum has advocated for choice, independence, dignity, and quality of life for all older adults.
Argentum members operate senior living communities that include independent living, assisted living, memory care, and Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs), which are home to 2 million vulnerable seniors, of which 42% are veterans or their spouses.
Argentum member companies operate senior living communities offering assisted living, independent living, continuing care, and memory care services. Along with its state partners, Argentum’s membership represents approximately 75 percent of the senior living industry—an industry with a national economic impact of nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars and responsible for providing over 1.6 million jobs. For more information, visit www.argentum.org.
Contact:
Michael Keegan
Manager, Media and Public Affairs
ARGENTUM | Expanding Senior Living
1650 King Street, 6th Floor
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-599-7412 | [email protected]
