Preserving and strengthening Medicare and Medicaid is the key toward ensuring that patients receive high quality nursing home care or care in assisted living situations. Nursing homes account for approximately 1% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Not only do cuts to Medicare and Medicaid impact patient care, but thousands of jobs are at stake.

The mission of the Community Cares coalition is to raise awareness that a reduction in Medicare or Medicaid funding not only compromises patient care and effective programs for nursing homes but also directly and indirectly diminishes sustainable jobs and economic vitality in states and communities. Additionally, this coalition's purpose is to urge policymakers in Washington to support appropriate funding of the Medicare and Medicaid program through stable funding for long term care financing and to recognize the negative economic impact that federal and state health care funding reform will have on states and communities.

Long term care contributes to the tax base and stimulates local and state economies by providing jobs far beyond the walls of skilled nursing facilities and assisted living situations. Important services provided by community businesses such as pharmacies, insurance agencies, quality and management consultants and so on support the long term care sector and are a key source of jobs and economic vitality in an environment where jobs are hard to come by. Adequately funding long term care through stable Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement not only ensures quality care for the elderly and a robust long term care workforce, but positively impacts those businesses and organizations that support long term care providers in achieving what we all want – the best care for our seniors.

For state by state economic impact of the CMS Final Rule that went into effect October 1, 2009 CLICK HERE.