Tag Archives for senior centers

The legislative wish list of Rhode Island’s groups on aging

Published in RINewsToday on April 15, 2024

The Rhode Island General Assembly’s 2024 session kicked off on Jan. 2, 2024, scheduled to adjourn on June 30, 2024.  According to LegiScan, over the last three months 2,164 bills have been thrown into the legislative hopper.

“The state budget will likely be voted upon by the House Finance Committee in late May or early June.  Then a week later it is considered by the full House of Representatives, followed by votes by the Senate Finance Committee and the full Senate, and the final step would be consideration by the Governor. That process is usually completed  by mid-June to late June because the new fiscal year begins on July 1.” says Larry Berman, who has served as House Communication Director for 22 legislative sessions.“

According to Berman, the Senate and House both focus on their priorities within their own chambers first, and once those bills pass, then discussions take place between the leadership teams of both chambers to finalize bills for passage in both chambers before sending them to the Governor.  That time period will be May, and well into June. 

Legislative Wish List

Aging advocates are pushing for their legislative agenda’s to be included in the House budget.  They also are carefully monitoring the status of bills that have been introduced, specifically those that will have an impact on programs and services delivered to older Rhode Islanders.

Maureen Maigret, Policy Advisor, of Senior Agenda Coalition of RI (SACRI) puts the passage of H 7333 and S 2399 on ita priority legislative list to assist financially struggling seniors and persons with disabilities on Medicare. “As many older adults are struggling financially, SACRI is prioritizing H7333 (by Rep. Karen Alzate) and S2399 (by Senator Sandra Cano) to expand the Medicare Savings Program eligibility up to $28,000. These bills would put more money in the pockets of lower-income persons not on Medicaid by covering the Medicare Part B premiums that amount to $2,100 a year and also help them with prescription drug costs,” she says.

To provide financial help to our many unpaid caregivers we also support S2375 (by Rep. Linda L. Ujifusa) and H7490 (by Rep. Susan Donovan) to create a state tax credit up to $1,000 for half the costs incurred to care for an older family member needing supports and S2121 (by Sen. Valarie J. Lawson) and H 7171 (by (by Rep. Joshua J Giraldo) to increase the Temporary Caregiver Insurance program from six to 12 weeks.

According to Maigret, there are a number of bills addressing housing issues that SACRI also supports including those to promote ADU development, funding for affordable senior housing and incorporating accessibility features into new housing.

H. 7062, sponsored by Rep. June S. Speakman has passed the House. This bill would boost hosing production by helping Rhode Islanders to develop  ADUs has been identified by as a high priority this year for House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 13, Warwick).

“In looking at the Governor’s State FY2025 budget we are advocating to add about $660,000 to the Office of Healthy Aging budget to increase funding to local communities to support local senior centers/programs to reach a level of $10 per each person age 65 and older in the city or town,” notes Maigret. SACRI calls for increased funding to implement the recommended increases for social and human services providers beyond the one-third level proposed by the Governor to help address the long wait list for accessing homecare services and provide more livable homecare staff wages. This is critical as the average private cost of home health aide services in RI is $36/hour, she notes.

“ As our industry continues to fight off the existential threats of inadequate funding and staffing shortages, our Association is staying laser focused on our homes receiving sufficient and sustainable financial reimbursements and supporting all initiatives to improve staff availability. Without substantive help from the General Assembly, we will continue to lose more homes and our ability to care for our most fragile RI citizens,” states John E. Gage, MBA, NHA, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Health Care Association. 

At AARP Rhode Island’s 2024 Legislative reception, State Director Catherine Taylor called for passage of H 7127 to provide an optional, voluntary Roth-IRA plan to the 172,000 Rhode Island employees who do not have access to a convenient, low-cost voluntary retirement savings plan through their employer.

The Secure Choice program, endorsed by Gov. Dan McKee and AARP Rhode Island, would be administered by the office of the General Treasurer, would see retirement savings accumulated in individual accounts for the exclusive benefit of the participants or their beneficiaries.  

The legislation has been referred to the House Finance Committee. A similar measure (S 2045) has been introduced in the upper chamber by Sen. Meghan E. Kallman.

According to Taylor, Secure Choice has been enacted in 18 states to date. In Connecticut, the program led to over 25,0000 workers saving over $19 million dollars in the first year of operation. These savings would not have been realized without Secure Choice.

Taylor also noted that Rhode Island is one of only 8 states that tax hard-earned Social Security benefits. “Our state tax on Social Security undermines the purpose of Social Security, which was designed to lift older adults out of poverty – not to fund state government,” she says.

AARP Rhode Island supports the efforts of Sen. Elaine Morgan (S 84) to completely eliminate the state tax on Social Security income and Sen. Walter Felag (S 246) to increase the thresholds to $ 110,000 for single, and $ 140,000 got joint filers, says Taylor.

“We would like to see the passage of S. 2556 [by Senators Lou Dipalma, Bridget Valverde, John Burke, and Pam Lauria] and H. 7493, sponsored by Rep. Scott Slater and Rep. Grace Diaz, that would establish a 20% add-on to the Medicaid per diem rate for nursing homes that have single-occupancy rooms and bathrooms,” says James Nyberg, executive director of LeadingAge RI.

According to Nyberg, there is a growing body of research that shows the benefits of single rooms on residents’ physical ad mental health and well-being, which was clearly exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.  “There is also the simple fact that it promotes human dignity. Older Rhode Islanders should not have to share a bathroom and shower with strangers during a frail time of life,” he says.

“As for the budget, we want to ensure that the nursing home funding included in the Governor’s budget is maintained, and the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner recommended rate increases be expedited, if possible, as well,” says Nyberg.

Just a Few More to Watch

Here is a sampling of other bills, of interest to aging advocates, thrown into the legislative hopper this legislative session:

Sen. Linda L. Ujifusa and Rep. Megan Cotter are sponsoring a bill (H 7208, S 2063) to provide relief to some of the state’s most vulnerable households by raising the eligibility limit and the maximum credit for the “circuit breaker” tax credit, which benefits low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities. The bills have been referred to their chamber’s Finance Committee.

The circuit breaker credit program provides an income tax credit to low-income Rhode Island homeowners and renters who are over 65 or disabled, equal to the amount that their property tax exceeds a certain percent of their income. That percent ranges from 3 to 6 percent, based on household income. In the case of renters, a figure representing 20 percent of their annual rent is used in the place of property tax in the calculation.   

The Senate approved S 2082, sponsored by Sen. Melissa A. Murray, to limit insured patients’ co-pays for supplies and equipment used to treat diabetes to $25 for a 30-day supply.

The legislation would apply to private insurers, health maintenance organizations, nonprofit hospital service or medical service corporations and the state employee health insurance plans that cover such supplies. Under the bill, beginning Jan. 1 (or, for state employees, the next time the health plan contract is purchased or renewed by the state), co-pays for insulin administration and glucose monitoring supplies shall be capped at $25 for a 30-day supply, or per item when an item is intended to be used for longer than 30 days.

During this legislative session, S 0089 and H 5417 were introduced by Senator Meghan Kallman and Rep. Evan P. Shanley and take their savings with them when they change jobs. The legislative proposals have been referred to the House Finance and Senate Committees for consideration.

For more details about legislation being considered by the Rhode Island General Assembly, go to https://legiscan.com/RI/legislation/2024.

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Senior Agenda Coalition of RI unveils legislative agenda to packed house of seniors

Published in RINewsToday on April 1, 2024

Last Wednesday, the main ballroom at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick was filled, to capacity. Hundreds came to the Senior Agenda Coalition of RI’s (SACRI)  2024 Legislative Leaders Forum to learn about the advocacy group’s issue priorities. House and Senate leadership, along with members of both caucuses came to listen, learn and to respond to SACRI’s four priority issues for 2024.

We’re back, and we are stronger than ever,” announced Maureen Maigret, SACRI’s Policy Advisor, to 275 attendees who came to this year’s annual legislative forum held on March 27, 2024.  Before she unveiled SACRI’s ambitious legislative priorities she painted a demographic picture of older Rhode Islanders.

The graying of Rhode Island’s population

“We know that 200,000 Rhode Islanders are age 65 and over, and this number is growing,” noted Maigret. According to the former state legislator and Director of the Department of Elderly Affairs, in just six years, 1 in 5 persons will be age 65 and over. Today, 20% of the population in 18 Rhode Island communities are in their mid-sixties and over.

Many seniors still work. They pay taxes, provide care to loved ones, volunteer to contribute to their communities, and religiously vote,” stated Maigret, who noted that they contribute over $3.28 billion to Rhode Island’s economy through Social Security benefits. 

Maigret pointed out that as the older population ages, the percentage of woman increases over men.  At age 65 and over , 56% of this age distribution are woman, 44% are men.  At age 85 and over, the percentage of women rapidly increase to 69% compared to 31% for men. And in nursing homes, 68% of residents are woman while 32% are men. 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, many older Rhode Islanders have limited incomes. Twenty-seven percent of age 65+ households earn less than $25,000 a year, while 50% earn less than $50,000 a year.

With women leaving their jobs over the years to raise their family, it is no surprise to Maigret that women’s incomes are less than men, this ultimately resulting in a smaller Social Security benefit. The average Social Security benefits of women aged 65 and over ($20,333) is $5,000 less than their male counterparts ($25,204), she says.

Unveiling SACRI’s Legislative Agenda

“Keeping seniors strong” is the theme of this year’s legislative forum, Maigret told the hundreds of seniors and aging advocates in attendance before announcing the SACRI priorities. SACRI is pushing for legislative issues in the areas of:

·       Economic Security

·       Supports at Home

·       Community Connections

·       Housing Options

She called on the House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick), and Senate Majority Whip, Valarie Lawson (D-Dist. 14, East Providence), in attendance, to support House and Senate legislation, and state budget proposals to address these issues.

SACRI’s top legislative priority is to addressEconomic Security issues. Polls show that healthcare affordability is a major concern, and this impacts many seniors.  Maigret pointed out that Medicare premiums  and co-payment gaps have a major impact on low-income Rhode Islanders who struggle to pay for healthcare, food, rent and basic needs.”

According to Maigret, legislative proposals (S. 2399/H. 7333) would be a legislative fix to reduce high out-of-pocket costs for persons on Medicare. The bills would expand income eligibility for the Medicare Savings Program (MSP), helping an estimated 17,000 low-income seniors and disabled residents pay their $175/month Medicare Part B premium and covering co-pays and deductibles for those with very low-income.

Thousands of low-income seniors and persons with disabilities on Medicare, but not eligible to participate in the state’s Medicaid program, struggle each month to pay their Medicare Part B premiums and co-pay costs for services and prescription drugs causing many to forgo needed health care as they cannot afford to pay the co-payments.

And eligibility to join MSP qualifies those on Medicare to enroll in the federal Extra Help program that provides significant additional financial assistance to pay for

SACRI also calls on the state lawmakers to provide necessary funding in the 2025 Fiscal Year Budget to enhance programs to assist seniors to age in place in their communities. “It’s a very important legislative issue for seniors,” notes Maigret, stressing that most seniors want to stay at home when they need care.   

In large part due to the existing home care staffing shortage, 75% of those referred for state-subsidized home care wait two months or more for these services. A state study recommended home care rate increases to improve access to home health care services which would help to address the worker shortage and provide livable wages for home care workers.  Maigret urged Shekarchi and Lawson to put funding in this year’s budget to implement the study’s recommendations.

Meanwhile, SACRI supports increased funding for local Senior Centers to enable them to continue to provide “community connections” to seniors. “They do amazing work by offering meal programs, technology assistance and training and all kinds of social, health and recreations programs, says Maigret.

Seniors benefit from, and enjoy going to Senior Centers, adds Maigret, reflecting on a comment told to her by a senior attending Warwick’s Pilgrim Senior Center. “It’s my home away from home,” she says.

Governor Dan McKee’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget would distribute $1.4 million (about $7 per person aged 65 and over in each community) to the local communities for Senior Centers and programs. SACRI calls on the General Assembly to increase this budget allocation by about $660,000 (making the funding tied to $10 per person aged 65 and over. “It’s a small funding request,” says Maigret.

Finally, SACRI urges the General Assembly to continue to address the lack of options and affordability of housing for seniors. Maigret notes that this problem is the result of the state’s growing older population with fixed incomes, combined with low housing production, skyrocketing rent increases, and high property taxes, 

There are many legislative remedies to address the state’s housing crisis, says SACRI, calling on the General Assembly to use a portion of the proposed Housing Bonds to support affordable housing options for older Rhode Islanders. She also suggested that lawmaker’s continue funding the Home Modification Program, expanding the Property Tax Relief Program and finally promoting  accessibility features in new housing developments.

Like previous years, SACRI worked hard to drive home the point of putting a spotlight to its legislative agenda by having “storytellers” translated the priorities into personal stories.  

House Speaker talks turkey at Legislative Forum

Aging is a very important and personal issue to House Speaker Shekarchi, who is taking care of his 98-year-old father, who remains at home. “That is where he wants to be, he says. “I know that not everyone is fortunate – not everyone has the same support system,” says Shekarchi. “But it’s important that seniors have options so they can choose what’s best for them,” he says

“We need to provide support for seniors to age in place and to remain in their homes, living independently,” states Shekarchi. A great option – which is also the top legislative priority for AARP Rhode Island this year – is creating Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). They enable seniors – even young college graduates – to live independently while remaining near family and others, he adds.

“As for seniors who live in assisted living facilities and nursing homes, we need to ensure those facilities are adequately staffed, and that caregivers are paid a sustainable wage,” says Shekarchi. 

“We expect this to be a very challenging budget year, with many worthwhile, but competing, priorities,” says Shekarchi.

“I know the Senior Agenda has legislative priorities in 2024 that I promise we will consider very carefully. And I have a request for all of you. Please stay involved, make your voices heard at the State House,” Shekarchi suggests, “give us feedback. You can testify in person at the State House, or in writing by letter or email.

Valarie Lawson, Senate Majority Whip, took the opportunity to discuss the Rhode Island HEALTH Initiative… a Senate legislative package designed to address affordability and accessibility of health care in the state.

According to Lawson, the HEALTH Initiative seeks to ensure the strength of the state’s community hospitals, attract, and retain primary care doctors and makes sure Rhode Islanders can access quality, affordable care. The legislation includes a bill by Sen. Alana DiMario to create a drug affordability commission in Rhode Island … which is a critical step to make the state’s prescription drug system less complicated and less costly. And Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski’s legislation to transform and mandate a continuous Medicaid reimbursement rate review process by the Office of the Health Insurance Commission.

Lawson noted the Senate was working on the SACRI MSP priority legislation and that she is a co-sponsor of the bill. She said that the Senate shares the Senior Agenda’s  priority of making Rhode Island a place where residents can age with comfort and security. “At the State House… we rely on your voices to help guide us,” she said.

Call to Action

Diane Santos, SACRI Board Chair, ended the forum with a Call to Action for attendees to let their voices be heard by contacting their local legislators to express their concerns and to support programs to help keep seniors strong.

SACRI Legislative Leaders Forum organizational partners included: Cranston Enrichment Center, Edward King House, Leon Mathieu Senior Center, Meals on Wheels RI, Pilgrim Senior Center, Ocean State Center for Independent Living, St. Martin de Porres Center, The RI Organizing Project and The Village Common of RI.

To watch the 2024 Senior Agenda Coalition Leaders Forum Conference, go to: https://capitoltvri.cablecast.tv/show/9023

The RI Budget proposal, as seen by our fastest growing demographic, Seniors

Published in RINewsToday on January 22, 2024

This Tuesday, Jan. 16th, Governor Dan McKee officially kicked off the legislative debate on the state’s $13.68 billion FY 2025 Budget in his 48 minute (4,481 word) State of the State address that laid out his spending priorities.  

Over the next six months the General Assembly will hold hearings on the proposed budget blueprint, rewriting it considering state revenues identified during the May Revenue and Caseload Estimating Conferences, and priorities of the legislature.

With passage by the House and Senate and signed into law by McKee, the final FY 2025 Budget will take effect July 1. 

Governor McKee’s budget proposal, which came 2 days after the State of the State, makes funding investments in education, small business, and Rhode Island’s health care system without raising any broad-based taxes. FY 2025 Budget specifics can be found in an article published by RINewsToday on Friday, Jan. 19th – HERE.

With the official release of McKee’s 2025 budget proposal on Thursday afternoon, Jan. 18, his statement along with comments from the top House and Senate legislative leaders were quickly issued.

“The Team Rhode Island budget that I’m sending to the General Assembly today prioritizes programs and initiatives that will help raise the incomes of our fellow Rhode Islanders,” said McKee. 

“By using available resources in targeted and strategic manner, we will continue to make progress on our RI 2030 goals while putting Rhode Islanders to work in good-paying jobs on projects that will pay dividends for decades to come,” he adds.

Legislative leadership

“Over the next several months, Chairman Lou DiPalma and the Senate Finance Committee will conduct a rigorous review of all aspects of the proposed budget through their public hearing process. At this early stage, I am pleased that the budget proposal reflects some of the Senate’s top priorities, including moving our state towards universal public pre-kindergarten, increasing funding for multi-language learners, increasing access to no-cost meals for students, fully funding recommended reimbursement levels for Early Intervention and increasing Medicaid rates,” says President of the Senate Dominick J. Ruggerio.  

“Now that Governor McKee has submitted the budget, our robust review process will begin. Chairman Marvin Abney and the House Finance Committee will soon commence the public hearing process and we look forward to working collaboratively with the Senate and Governor McKee over the next several months. With the federal pandemic funds having been allocated, we must live within our means and carefully scrutinize all spending requests,” says House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi.  “The Senate will continue working with all partners and stakeholders to adopt a budget that meets the needs of all Rhode Islanders.” adds the Senate President.

 Aging Groups and Advocates share thoughts

“It was good to see attention to older adults’ financial security by the proposal to increase the amount of pension income that can be exempted from state income taxes which would bring an estimated $500 benefit to about 10,000 persons,” says Maureen Maigret, The Senior Agenda Coalition’s policy advisor and former Director of the RI Department of Elderly Affairs.

“The Governor is looking for ways to increase Rhode Islanders’ incomes and the Senior Agenda Coalition has been working with several partners on a legislative proposal that would save $2,000 a year for many thousands of lower-income older persons and persons on disabilities on Medicare by having the federal government pay the cost of their Part B premiums,” she says, noting that this policy would not only save seniors money they can use for basic living expenses, but would bring millions of dollars into the state economy. It would also make them eligible for a federal program that helps pay for prescription drugs.

“We hope the $10 million in proposed bridge funding for nursing homes will help them to continue to provide necessary services for their vulnerable populations and avoid more closures which are so traumatic for residents,” says Maigret. 

“Although welcome, we had been hoping for more than the modest increase of $200,000 for senior centers as it gets distributed across around 40 senior centers. We know our older population is growing and our senior centers help hundreds of older adults stay healthy and connected to their communities,” adds Maigret.

“With many older adults waiting three months or more to get home care services and the home care worker shortage continuing it is disappointing to see the reimbursement increases recommended by the Social and Human Service Rate Review Study spread out over three years especially when the Executive Office of Health and Human Services had recommended funding the recommended increases over two years. And home care is not only what persons say they prefer but it costs far less to state government than institutional care,” notes Maigret.

“AARP Rhode Island applauds the Governor’s goal of increasing financial security for all Rhode Islanders,” said AARP Rhode Island State Director Catherine Taylor in a statement released days before the release of McKee’s budget blueprint. “Everyone should be able to choose how they live as they age,” she says.

AARP Rhode Island calls on the General Assembly to pass three pieces of legislation that would help to ensure financial security for all. AARP Rhode Island is pushing lawmakers to give all Rhode Islanders access to a retirement savings vehicle. We are pleased that Governor McKee called for the passage of the Secure Choice program, which would provide an optional, voluntary Roth-IRA plan to the 172,000 Rhode Island employees who do not have access to a plan through their employer,” says Taylor.

“The state must stop taxing Social Security benefits,” says Taylor. “We are one of 9 states that still tax these benefits. We encourage legislators to keep more money in the pockets of older Rhode Islanders by eliminating the state tax on Social Security,” she says.

“Lastly, we must reframe how we think about housing as we grow older, and Accessible Dwelling Units (ADUs) are part of the equation,” adds Taylor, urging the General Assembly to pass legislation providing housing options that are suitable for differing incomes, ages, and life stages. “ADUs are one way to accomplish this goal,” she notes.

This budget is an important step forward in helping our industry, says James Nyberg, president, and CEO of LeadingAge Rhode Island, a nonprofit representing providers across the long-term care spectrum from nursing facilities to home and community-based providers. “We appreciate Governor McKee and his staff recognizing our concerns and providing an infusion of funds across multiple settings to support older Rhode Islanders wherever they call home, their families, and our dedicated workforce,” he adds.  This includes the $10 million in stopgap funds to help nursing homes in critical financial distress as they await their permanent rate adjustment effective October 1. 

According to Nyberg, the October adjustment also included in the budget is expected to provide over $60 million in funding to help nursing homes address workforce challenges, the dramatically increased costs of operating their business, and remain financially viable. “We cannot lose any more nursing homes and hopefully this budget will help mitigate that well-documented threat,” he says.  

Similarly, the budget includes the phase-in of rate increases for assisted living residences and adult day providers, per the OHIC recommendations, to support these providers, consumers, workers, and families,” says Nyberg. “We also hope the proposed housing bond will help address the shortage of safe and affordable housing for seniors, the lack of which was highlighted in the Long Term Care Coordinating Council’s recent report entitled “Meeting the Housing Needs of Rhode Island’s Older Adults and Individuals with Chronic Disabilities and Illnesses,”  he adds.

“While there are financial and other challenges that persist, we look forward to working with the Administration and the General Assembly to advance these and any other initiatives to support our long-term care providers, those for whom they care, and their workforce,” says the nonprofit executive director. 

Governor’s budget doesn’t adequately address Seniors’ needs

While aging groups recognize Gov. McKee’s funding provisions that will benefit older Rhode Islanders, one aging advocate calls on the House Finance Committee to beef up funding for seniors in its budget.

“Once again, the senior population of Rhode Island is the fastest growing demographic in the state, and the most neglected,” charges Susan Sweet, former state associate director of the Department of Elderly Affairs and an advocate for seniors facing hardships and low-income difficulties. “The Governor McKee Budget provides no relief for seniors in the proposed 2025 spending plan other than a small gift to nursing homes that may help that senior care industry and a small increase of $200,000 statewide for dividing up among R.I. Senior Centers,” she says.

According to Sweet, seniors receive nothing in the budget other than a proposed tax reduction of “pension and annuity income” to begin in calendar year 2025.  In other words, nothing for this year.  She notes that the current exemption would be raised from $20,000 to $50,000 while the state remains currently only 9 of 50 states that tax Social Security and a minority of states that tax retirement pensions.

“There is also not one cent for retirees who had their pensions frozen in 2011 and have been stripped of their contracted pension benefits of a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) each year which they were required to sign and to contribute to from their pay each year of employment,” she says.

“Just down the road in our neighboring state of Massachusetts, there is no state income tax for Social Security or pensions. Their proposed budget includes a new $2,400 per senior payout for housing assistance, rental, or ownership costs,” says Sweet. During the State of the Commonwealth speech just one day after RI Governor McKee touted his Team RI game plan, a representative of the (Massachusetts) Senior Action advocacy group was invited and recognized as a leading voice in enabling seniors to stay in their homes with cash assistance from the state, she noted.

As the founder of the R.I. Minority Elder Task Force which provides financial assistance to poor RI elders in dire circumstances, Sweet regularly sees the neglect of seniors without adequate resources for the basic needs of life. “This is not a senior-friendly state, and this is not a senior friendly budget,” she states. 

Expect aging groups and advocates to gear up to push for their senior legislative priorities in the upcoming months. The budget debate now begins.

To listen to Gov. McKee’s State of the State Address on the FY 2025 Budget, go HERE. 

Details of Gov. McKee’s FY 2025 Budget. Go HERE.

To read Gov. McKee’s FY 2025 budget proposal (H 7225), go HERE.