The Bucks County Area Agency on Aging is advocating our Pennsylvania State Senators to support the passage of HB 245. This legislation has passed the House and has been sent to the Senate. As a first step the Senate Aging and Youth Committee will act on the legislation May 4th. Voices of support need to be heard by our State Senators as the legislation makes it way through the Senate.
HB 245 amends the Family Caregiver Support Act by changing eligibility criteria and reimbursement levels.
Last year the state Family Caregiver Support Program was under spent statewide by $800,000.
The under spending is directly related to the eligibility criteria and the reimbursement levels which exist in the current state Family Caregiver Support Act.
The changes in the legislation will enable Area Agencies on Aging such as ours to provide more assistance to family caregivers here in Bucks County. The changes which are part of HB 245 will not impact the state budget as noted by the House Appropriations Committee in a Fiscal Note which accompanied the legislation through the House.
I encourage you and the members of the Bucks County Long Term Care Consortium to write to your Senator or call and let him know of your request that he support HB 245.
I have attached a draft letter which can be modified to your personal style. I also have attached a document with talking points on HB 245. Please contact my office if you need your Pennsylvania State Senators’ contact information.
Our State Senators- Tomlinson, McIlhinney, Greenleaf and Mensch- are advocates for the older person of Bucks County and expressing support of HB 245 from the community will help them know of the support of the legislation from the provider community of Bucks County.
Please send me a copy of any correspondence you may send or if you place a call to the Senators office please drop me an email.
Also please feel free to share this request with any others who could add to a voice of support.
I am available should anyone have any questions.
Thank you for your consideration.
http://files.formspring.com/uploads/308348/4bdef902acfdc/DraftLetterHB245.pdf
http://files.formspring.com/uploads/308348/4bdef90475911/TalkingPointsHB245.pdf