Yesterday in Under GOP majority, Draz wanted budget cuts, monitors for home care, now champions staff, Bluestem noted how the state representative who recommended monitoring equipment over paying care staff in order to cut costs is now advocating paying staff more.
What's changed? Draz's part is no longer in control of the state legislature.
The Rochester Post Bulletin's Heather Carlson has more on last night's forum, as well as an interview with the chair of the House Health and Human Services Policy committee in People with disabilities urge lawmakers to boost providers' funding:
[Drazkowski] asked, "Why is it that we cannot focus on the needs of the people who take care of the people who are the most vulnerable among us?"
Drazkowski did not specifically say he would support The 5% Campaign, but did say he would set a high priority on funding for programs that care for the state's most vulnerable.
In an interview, House Health and Human Services Policy Chairwoman Tina Liebling said it is important to remember that the GOP-led House passed legislation in 2011 cutting funding for these programs by 1.67 percent. Democrats prevented those cuts from taking effect and increased funding by an additional 1 percent. Meanwhile, nursing homes received a 5 percent pay increase. She said she supports efforts to find additional dollars for these providers in the upcoming legislative session.
"They are right. We don't pay enough to do what we need to do for people in long-term care, and it really was unfair that we providing a 5 percent increase to nursing homes and must less to long-term care."
Good for Carlson for going the extra distance and interviewing Liebling.
Video still: Steve Drazkowski in the famous meeting with care provider staff in 2011 where he recommended saving costs by installing baby-monitor-like devices to replace staffers in the wake of Republican sponsored budget cuts. Video here.
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Wow. Draz flip-flops worse than Mark Andrew.
Posted by: Phoenix Woman | Oct 29, 2013 at 10:17 PM