The Secretary of Welfare was given the power to create regulations at will from Act 22 which was passed on 6/30/2011 and took effect 7/11/2011. New regulations care out March 1 and interested parties were given only 8 days to respond. It is inconceivable that a change of this magnitude should be unilaterally promulgated without the least amount of input or discussion from seniors, area offices on aging or those who provide services to seniors.
If left as is these regulations will:
- Fragment and reduce the quality of care to seniors
- Cause Seniors and their families to bounce back and forth between agencies
- Add additional costs
- Drastically increase waiting times for seniors who need assistance resulting in increased hospital costs and increased nursing home costs.
- Put seniors at risk
- Place more elders into Adult Protective Services
- Eliminate RN care plan review
- Increase the tax burden for citizens
- Result in fewer Seniors being able to stay in their own homes