Last year, the Minnesota legislature created a requirement,
mandating that all individuals – even individuals paying privately – undergo
mandatory counseling before moving into assisted living. Finding the mandate unnecessary
and ageist, ALFA, our state affiliate, and providers – like you – opposed the law
from the beginning. New data from the Department of Human Services proves consumers
are overwhelmingly rejecting the mandate as well.
The mandate allows individuals to decline the consultation
by calling the prescribed hotline and getting a verification code. Most calls
to the hotline are to do just that. 73%
of calls to the long term care consulting hotline are to reject counseling, and
49% of those declining the consult are over the age of 85. Not only do many
seniors call the hotline to reject the counseling, but many ignore the mandate
completely.
Why do consumers reject the consultation? According to the
Minnesota Department of Human Services report, it is because they have already
made up their mind. These
consumers have done their research and have decided what senior living community
is best for them. As with any other personal decision, Minnesota seniors do not
want the government infringing on their choice and telling them how to spend
their money.
There are some Minnesota legislators who are looking to undo
this act of government overreach by introducing bills to repeal the mandatory
consultation or making it easier to opt out. The Department of Human Services
staff is also discussing – with our ALFA State Affiliate – the possibility of
allowing “responsible parties/persons” to call on the residents behalf. You can
count on ALFA and its state affiliate, Aging Services of Minnesota, to follow this
issue closely and work with legislators as well as the staff at the Department
of Human Services to limit the scope of this mandate.
Here is a previous CEO
Update explaining the requirement in more detail along with the data,
released by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, on the consultation
hotline.
Also read a recent ALFA
Update article on the mandate and visit our Minnesota affiliate, Aging Services of Minnesota,
for more information.
