This is great and great to see changes  that are  more user freindly

I run a 98 bed facility in extreme Southwest Virginia .I accept auxiliary grant.The auxiliary grant rate is currently $37.00 per day.With recent budget cuts ,a medicaid supported program that paid an additional $3.00 per day was elliminated .

The rate had been $3.00 per day since it's existence in 1996.Southwest Virginia is known to have a large amount of auxiliary grant residents.A lot of providers do not except the below market rate and choose to select to serve the private pay.Most auxiliary grants are more work intensive than the private pay as well.Documented studies by J.L.A.R.C.and Area on Aging ,from June 2005.supports the more work intensive A.G.homes,they refer to them as ,special circumstances,refering to a,g,operators working long hours and performing multiple tasks .they are probable working for below minimum wage.This should not be a requirment for a.g.home.They should be able to afford to pay staff.I ask anyone reading this where could you go stay and get 3 meal,and snack between meals,medication dispensing ,personal care and overall monitored for your health and well being.Today if I can get a hotel for $70.00 ,I consider myself lucky.

To sum the a.g.rate up.You have to work harder with a more difficult population and do 10 times the paper work. Some better and appreciative residents live in Tn.But the state wants  to outlaw this because ,they want to save the bed for the Virginian in need for this bed.It's probable law by now.Most operator's are tied in to their business and just wanting to pay off debt service.Once that is they will probable close down and retire and rest .No newer young population gona do that.What will happen?

Va.is 47th in the nation in  medicaid spending.Good management or is the state  just not providing services needed.Va.is 1 of 7 states not having waiver service for ALFs.

The governor wants more cuts.Everythings going to be more ten years from now .more people in need of more everything.

New healthcare reform allows more user friendly Community Based Waiver  programs and incentives for States to participate in them.Will Virginia participate ? Doesn't look so .

A waiver program for disabled people in need for assisted living should have been done years ago.I strongly support a general waiver program for  the poorer people in need for assisted living .

I've never seen nothing like this .I hope someone will help these provider's and residents.

Programs should not be based on the sore politician word, "special interest ",but it is .Its not based on need.

Thank You ,Frankie Minor ,20 year advocate in caring for the poor and disabled people and treating them with kindess ,love and respect.