FHCA Statement on Review of Governor’s Proposed Budget

Emmett Reed, FHCA Executive Director, issued a statement on the House and Senate Appropriation Committees' consideration of the Governor's recommended budget for fiscal year 2020-2021:

“As the House and Senate Appropriations Committees begin to consider the Governor’s budget recommendations, it’s crucial that lawmakers don’t overlook the tens of thousands of seniors living in our state’s nursing centers. Florida is a leader in quality care for our most fragile residents, and legislators must ensure we stay that way by properly funding nursing centers to allow them to keep pace with increased wages and other rising costs. Florida has the nation’s best nurse staffing rate among large states, and we continually make measurable quality improvements. But this trend cannot continue if the Legislature fails to allocate appropriate resources to hire and retain the best caregivers. We urge the Legislature to help us keep the promise to our frail elders and put a funding increase in the state budget. It’s the right decision to ensure Florida is ready to meet the needs of our rapidly growing elderly population.”