On Monday, members of the Arizona House Health Committee unanimously moved a bill that would update the state’s long-term care, preadmission screening tool.
Republican Rep. Selina Bliss sponsored the measure. She says over the summer she met with stakeholders to craft the bill.
"ALTCS assessors are currently using a tool that's 19 years old, and they are conducting a majority of the interviews over the phone without even seeing the person in front of them," Bilss said. "The results are in denials for people who would otherwise be qualified and are in need, and we realized we can do better, because it's costing us more money in the long run."
The long-term care system known as ALTCS covers much of the cost of long-term care for older adults who cannot afford it. In Arizona, the median cost can run upwards of $9,000 a month.
Real-life consequences
Betheny Strickland is a nurse practitioner from Prescott. She also asked lawmakers to update the screening tool.
"The person with dementia often doesn't want to admit that they have dementia or any cognitive delays. … So when they interview with ALTCS, they say, ‘no, I'm fine, I feed myself, I dress myself, I have a little help with bathing, but I'm OK, I don't need anything.’ This is not true," Strickland said.
ALTCS then denies the application, leaving caregivers to appeal, tap into their own savings or even leave the workforce.
Susan Wielechowski owns Circle of Life Alzheimer Homes in Prescott. She says without ALTCS, some individuals end up in jail, like a former patient of hers.
"And he got caught driving three times without a driver's license. So they finally put him in jail because they didn't know what to do, there was no family," Wielechowski said.
They can also end up in the emergency room.
"We've had people in the hospital in the ER for six months because there's nowhere to go, no family, and no money," Wielechowski said.
AHCCCS, the state agency that oversees ALTCS, is neutral on the bill, but said there would be a fiscal impact to the state.
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