The Maine Monitor reports “Within the last decade, 23 nursing homes in Maine have closed, prompting long term care advocates, providers and industry leaders Wednesday to urge lawmakers to provide additional funding to prevent more closures.”
“This is a call to action to address what has become a crisis in our long term services and support system resulting in the closure of nursing homes and residential care facilities across the state,” Brenda Gallant, the state long term care ombudsman, told a group of lawmakers Wednesday.”
“Since 1995, Maine’s number of nursing homes have decreased from 132 to 81, according to data presented to lawmakers.” Read more HERE.
Using a “crisis” as a reason? Is there more behind this? Who owns the most nursing homes in Maine and to benefit most financially? A solution was proposed with “Legislation, LD 1092, sponsored by Sen. Margaret Craven, D-Lewiston, involves an often overlooked way for seniors to pay for long-term care. The bill aims to help some older consumers who, faced with the prospect of paying for expensive assisted-living and nursing facilities, surrender their life insurance policies in order to qualify for MaineCare.”
Chris Orestis is CEO of Life Care Funding, a Portland company that converts life insurance policies to help consumers pay for long-term care. “Life Care Funding, which worked with Craven to draft the bill and would benefit from its passage, buys out the policies and sets up accounts to pay its customers’ long-term care providers.” John Orestis, owner of many nursing homes, is a relative of Chris Orestis.
Who really benefits from any funding? Follow the money.
Related:
Winthrop, Maine nursing home placed on federal “special focus” list
The Unmasking of Maine....and Beyond 