How state can help assure stability for long-term care providers

The long-term care profession is rooted in compassion. The work we do as senior care providers often goes unnoticed, but our caregivers truly love what they do, and their passion is reflected in the high-quality care they provide.

For nearly a year, that dedication and passion has never been more evident. COVID-19 is the biggest challenge we've ever faced. Caring for those who were among the most susceptible to this novel coronavirus, coupled with the lack of prioritization from the public health sector took a heavy toll on all of us.

But in the midst of our hardest days, our caregivers shined even brighter. They worked double shifts, sacrificed time with their families and put their own health on the line - all because of their unwavering commitment to the health and safety of our residents.

In the wake of the COVID-19, long-standing issues within our sector have come to light. It's time to be proactive and forward-thinking in how we approach senior care. There are three key areas that will help fortify our industry as a whole.

First, we must ensure long-term care facilities have solid financial footing. Many facilities were struggling financially prior to the pandemic, but the cost to fight the virus has depleted budgets that were already running thin.

Readjusting Medicaid reimbursement rates is the first step in fixing this problem. Illinois has grappled with a chronic gap between the amount we spend on daily care for Medicaid residents and the amount we're reimbursed. Most recent data shows that this discrepancy amounts to just over $20 per day per resident. We fall in the bottom 20 percent of states with the lowest rates.

Proper Medicaid funding will enable us to reward our hardworking staff with higher wages and make enhancements to our buildings, thus improving the overall care we provide.

Second, we need permanent liability protection. We worked closely with Gov. Pritzker last year to gain temporary civil liability immunity, similar to other health care providers.

But that immunity has lapsed, and lawsuits and lien letters are piling up. Taking legal action against long-term care providers does nothing to improve quality of care. Instead, lengthy legal battles strip much-needed resources away from providers and often fail to take into account the full scope of the circumstances.

For example, despite a lot of press coverage and commentary surrounding the outbreak at Life Care Center of Kirkland, an administrative law judge in Washington State ruled that the facility followed proper health guidelines and was not at fault for the tragedies that occurred.

Our caregivers must be able to do their job without fear of legal action, especially during an unprecedented health crisis. Permanent civil liability protection puts public confidence on our side - and gives us the assurance that we are trusted to care for Illinois seniors.

Third, we must invest in our workforce. Staffing shortages are another challenge that has only worsened since the pandemic began. COVID-19 has reduced the number of available workers on any given day, due to staff caring for ill family members or contracting the virus themselves and being forced to quarantine.

We need creative policies that help recruit and retain the next generation of caregivers. Vacancies abound across the board, especially certified nursing assistants (CNAs). Interim programs that were implemented to address COVID-related staffing levels should be made permanent, including reinstating temporary nursing assistants and the Nurse Licensure Compact, which would validate nursing licenses from other states.

Incentivizing the best talent to join our ranks will further prepare us for the increased demand in services we expect to see in the coming years. We should explore tuition forgiveness and career ladder concepts that expand the responsibilities of certified staff and re-examine how nursing scholarships are proportioned.

While distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines is a reason for optimism, we are not out of the woods. As we continue our fight, we also need to think about the next crisis right around the corner. If our sector has any chance of coming out of this stronger than before, the public and private sectors must come together and act.

We will continue to do all that we can to protect our residents from COVID-19, and we're ready to engage in meaningful discussions about the sustainability of our sector. We are eager to work with Gov. Pritzker and state lawmakers to ensure Illinois seniors continue to have quality long-term care options not only today, but for years to come.

• Matt Hartman is the executive director of the Illinois Health Care Association.