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TO CREATE THE SUZANNE KIRSH TASK FORCE ON LONG TERM CARE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
Whereas, South Carolina spends over three-fourths (78 percent) of the State's Medicaid budget on institutional care; and
Whereas, on average, the Medicaid program can provide home and community-based services to three people for the cost of serving one person in a nursing home; and
Whereas, South Carolina's 85 plus population, the age group that is most likely to need long term care services, will grow 95 percent from 2007 to 2030; and
Whereas, South Carolina should prepare for this future by developing a coordinated system of care; and
Whereas, South Carolina should have a vision and plan for a long term care system that promotes consumer independence, choice, dignity, autonomy, and privacy for older adults and persons with disabilities; and
Whereas, South Carolina recognizes our long term care system needs to be reviewed to determine how it meets the following criteria: coordination of access to long term care resources, promotion of independence through consumer choices, and cost containment through identification of efficiencies, as well as identification of duplication, waste, fraud, and abuse; and
Whereas, this review needs and deserves the participation of a diverse group of stakeholders and policy makers from across our State to make recommendations to improve our long term care system so as to accomplish these goals; and
Whereas, the development of long term care options though technology and innovation to meet the growing older adult market will provide opportunities for workforce and economic development. Now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1.(A) There is created the Suzanne Kirsh Task Force on Long Term Care in South Carolina to be composed of ten voting members. All members appointed must have substantial academic, professional, or personal experience in long term care services and support. The commission must be comprised of the following:
(1) one member appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee;
(2) one member appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Medical Affairs Committee;
(3) one member appointed by the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee;
(4) one member appointed by the Chairman of the House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee;
(5) two members appointed by each of the Directors of the Lieutenant Governor's Office on Aging, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs; and
(6) the Directors of the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, Lieutenant Governor's Office on Aging, and Department of Mental Health or their designees, to serve as ex officio and nonvoting members.
(B) A vacancy on the task force must be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
(C) Initial appointments to the task force must be made within thirty days of the enactment of this joint resolution. The initial meeting of the task force must be convened by the appointee of the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.
(D) The task force shall elect a chairman from among its members.
(E) Members of the task force shall serve without mileage, per diem, and subsistence.
(F) The South Carolina Public Health Institute and AARP-SC shall provide research and other information that is required to assist in the work of the task force.
(G) An Advisory Panel must be convened by invitation of the task force to provide the task force with information and recommendations. Members of the Advisory Panel must have substantial academic, professional, or personal experience in long term care services and supports.
(H) In fulfilling the charge contained in this section, the task force shall present a written report with recommendations on improving coordination of access to long term care resources, promotion of independence through consumer choices, cost containment, and identification of duplication, waste, fraud, and abuse to the General Assembly by September 2011, at which point the task force shall no longer exist unless otherwise authorized by the General Assembly.
SECTION 2. This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on March 23, 2010 at 12:47 PM