Monday, April 20, 2009

Slashing $75M From Programs

Lawmakers are slashing $75 million from programs for the elderly - including two aimed at keeping seniors out of nursing homes, which cost about 10 times more than home care.

The elderly are among the casualties of a $6 billion spending gap forcing lawmakers to slash programs and services, raise taxes and fees and drain trust funds.

Also on the chopping block:

$16 million in mental health and substance abuse programs that could leave 28,000 without help.

More than $4 million from $10 million in spending on intervention programs to keep at-risk children in their homes.

The House budget also cuts $7 million and 154 positions from the guardian ad litem program that represents abused and neglected children in court.

12.5 million to house delinquent children while the House maintains that funding.

Despite nearly $1 billion in federal stimulus money to increase Medicaid payments, the Senate used that money to pay for other programs and replaced it with about $900 million in a $1-a-pack cigarette tax that hasn't even had a hearing in the House.

The House did not give any money to a program to help foster children prepare for living on their own; the Senate includes just $500,000.

Full Article and Source:
Florida lawmakers slash $75 million from programs for the elderly

8 comments:

Lori View said...

Ila Swan made a video which showed payments to legislators from nursing homes.

Anonymous said...

Why don't they slash their own budgets?

Anonymous said...

Baloney, baloney, baloney!

It cost less to keep people out of nursing homes, where they are subjected to MRSA among other fatal infections - not to mention neglect.

Unless, of course, that's the idea. Subjecting the elderly to danger could cause premature death - which takes them off the SS roles.

Anonymous said...

This action boggles the mind. These people are not only incompetent to be in their elected positions, they are INSANE!

BEWARE: The elderly will be forced from their homes with court approval.

The will be taken by a parade of buses to nursing homes where they will be neglected; they will soon develop URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS; Medicare approved antiobiotics for UTI's have a high failure rate in eliminating this deadly infection, if not halted will conclude in numerous painful deaths.

Anonymous said...

They always cut the elderly first - it's an indication of their non-worth to society. And it's shamefull.

StandUp said...

Forcing people to stay in nursing homes, where nursing homes can bill, bill, bill and make a hefty profit may be the nefarious mgoal here.

Anonymous said...

Aha, Plan A to preserve SS and Medicare funds, get the old folks out of their warm and cozy residences into shared units at their buddies nursing homes (powerful special interest group and lobbyists who BRIBE the legislators)to get rid of the problems.

Nice way to treat the older generations, who sacrificed and built this country.

Hey, what about the veterans? Are they in included in this group?

This is mass extermination of a select group, sound familiar? Instead of targeting a race, a group of people, target the old follks so the crooks could stay in power.

And who did you vote for in the last election hmmmmm?

Anonymous said...

Florida -- the land of retirees, should be the last state to slash funds!