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03/09/10
In the News

Governor Calls for Elimination of PASSPORT Waiting List

Governor Calls for Elimination of PASSPORT Waiting List by Reallocating Existing Funds

The following is summarized from a news release issued by the Governor's Office on February 22, 2010.
Governor Ted Strickland has called for the elimination of the waiting list for the PASSPORT (Pre-Admission Screening System Providing Options and Resources Today) program for this fiscal year - as well as for the Assisted Living and PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly) programs - by March 31. PASSPORT is a Medicaid waiver program that provides medical care to qualifying seniors in home and community settings, and all three programs are managed by the Ohio Department of Aging.

Currently, 592 Ohioans who need and are eligible for home and community-based services are on a waiting list for these three services.

In calling for the elimination of the waiting lists, Governor Strickland stated, "We should do our best to support older Ohioans who prefer to live independently in their own homes, but need assistance along the way. We have identified existing funds that will allow us to assist all seniors eligible for home and community-based care, without a wait."

The Department of Aging implemented waiting lists for these services in order to balance their budget for fiscal years 2010-2011. Waiting lists generally cause the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) to incur increased costs from nursing home use and Home First placements.

In light of this, the Governor's action calls for the transfer of resources from ODJFS to the Department of Aging to pay for the elimination of the PASSPORT, Assisted Living, and PACE program waiting lists.
For example, $490,924 in funds can be transferred immediately to pay for Home First placements. (Home First enrollment permits nursing facility consumers to relocate to a certified assisted living facility if they wish to and are able to do so with the funding moving with them.) A transfer of $4,809,076 to eliminate the waiting list is subject to Ohio's Controlling Board approval.

These transfers will eliminate the waiting lists through the end of the current fiscal year, June 30, 2010. The Strickland Administration plans to seek additional transfers in fiscal year 2011 to ensure that there are no waiting lists for the remainder of the biennium.

The Governor adds, "These resources are from existing funds that otherwise would have been spent on more expensive care for a smaller group of people. This change shifts and maximizes limited resources in a way that benefits the most Ohioans."

Senator John Carey, Senator Dale Miller, Representative Peggy Lehner, and Representative Debbie Newcomb were noted by the Governor's Office for their individual commitment to the elimination of these waiting lists, and their advocacy for home and community-based care for older Ohioans.

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