Nursing homes to Congress: Stop looming Medicare cuts

Nursing homes are welcoming Congress back with a campaign against the sequester's looming cuts to Medicare.

The American Health Care Association (AHCA) will run ads against the cuts in Beltway publications and on major cable networks starting Monday. The group made a similar ad buy in September as Congress prepared to recess.

"The end of the year marks the end of the line for sequestration. Something must be done to address these deep cuts to Medicare," said Mark Parkinson, AHCA president and CEO, in a statement. 

The AHCA represents nursing homes and other skilled nursing facilities, which rely heavily on Medicare and Medicaid. The industry argues that it cannot withstand further cuts to the programs.

The AHCA's latest ad features women who benefited from a skilled nursing facility and a rehabilitation facility while recovering from accidents and surgery.

The Obama administration estimates that the sequester would slash $11 billion from Medicare as a result an across-the-board 2 percent provider cut. Also known as sequestration, the looming budget ax is meant to force a deal on long-term deficit reduction and is part of the fiscal cliff.

Parkinson said that lawmakers should have nursing-home residents on their minds as they work to reach a deal.

"Any potential deal struck to address the ‘fiscal cliff’ must consider the impact on our residents and the much-needed access to quality care that we provide," he said.

---