Our Advocacy Fight
To increase the NYS PERSONAL NEEDS ALLOWANCE for the elderly and the disabled in long-term care facilities, through awareness, education, and acting as an advocate for all. It is our hope that bringing awareness to the PERSONAL NEEDS ALLOWANCE
(PNA), the governing body of New York State will act swiftly to correct this injustice and give the elderly and the disabled the DIGNITY and RESPECT they deserve.
The Shameful Fact
The elderly and disabled persons in long-term care facilities in New York State that are receiving Medicaid are allotted $50 per month as a Personal Needs Allowance. This amount was set in 1980 by law and has never been updated to reflect the current economy. The Personal Needs Allowance is expected to cover clothing, hairdressing, barbers, toiletries, phone, cable, internet, and other miscellaneous personal expenses. This amount is shamefully inadequate to cover even a small portion of these expenses.
There are an estimated 70,000 elderly and disabled residents in long term care facilities in New York State, therefore the $50 Personal Needs Allowance costs the state an estimated $42 million per year-a significant amount, but only a tiny fraction of the enormous budget of 7 billion. Medicaid won't accept an increase in their costs, and long-term care facilities won't accept a decrease to their revenue. However, an estimated projection of savings through the Long Term Care Reform Act will create a savings in the Medicade Budget of $420.2 million in 2009-10 and $334.1 million rojected in 2010-11 which would adequitley cover the estimated amount of a Personal Nereds Allowance increase.
In 2005 a petition bearing 10,000 names of NYS registered voters (residents and friends) was presented personaly to Albany urging legislative action to increase the Personal Needs Allowance to reasonable levels. In the years 2005-2009, countless numbers of emails were sent to the NYS Assembly, Senate, Committees, and to the Governors urging the passing of legislation increasing the NYS Personal Needs Allowance.
Join the Mission
It is imperative that we as residents of New York State recognize that our elderly and disabled citizens deserve our RESPECT and the right to live their lives with DIGNITY, for they have blazed many of the paths that we follow today. Let your elected officials know that we can no longer let our elderly and disabled citizens in long-term care facilities struggle to get by on a 1980 Personal Needs Allowance.
Click on your county in the map below to get your local elected officials information and at the bottom of the map page please click on NYS Home Page and select your Assemblyman and Senator. Send a personal email urging legislation to increase the Personal Needs Assistance.
When their mailboxes are flooded they will take action on the Personal Needs Allowance.
Remember the Elderly and the Disabled