FHCA Applauds Governor DeSantis for Protecting Vital Funding for Nursing Center Residents in His Florida Leads Budget Recommendations

TALLAHASSEE, FL - Today, FHCA Executive Director Emmett Reed issued the following statement in response to Governor Ron DeSantis' $96.6 billion Florida Leads budget recommendations for FY 2021-2022, which include preserving the $105 million Medicaid increase for nursing center care that was passed by the 2020 Legislature.

"Florida's nursing centers remain on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic, and they have faced significant financial challenges in their efforts to keep their residents and staff protected from the virus. This funding is critical, not only to facilities' ongoing response to COVID, but also to ensure measurable advances in quality care can continue."

"With the state's increasingly growing aging population, our nursing centers need resources to invest in people, technologies and training, as well as infection prevention supplies, to ensure the health, safety and well-being of the residents entrusted to their care. The Governor's Florida Leads budget is an important step toward helping our nursing centers recover from the challenges brought on by the pandemic."

"We look forward to working with the Senate and the House as they develop their initial budgets to ensure nursing centers have the funding needed to protect residents and staff from the virus and continue delivering high-quality care that our state's seniors depend on."

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2021

PRESS CONTACT
Kristen Knapp, APR
(850) 510-4389