"Driving for Quality Care" campaign hits the streets
TRAVERSE CITY -- A crowd gathered outside the Tendercare Nursing Center in Traverse City today to welcome the "Driving for Quality Care" RV.
The tour began in Washington, D.C. on June 29th and Traverse City was its 14th stop of their petition-signing event.
The "Driving for Quality Care" campaign is making its way across the country, stopping in 46 states and 62 cities.
With the RV, is a petition to urge President Obama, congress and governors to pass additional Medicaid funding for each state.
The Health Care Association of America, the National Center for Assisted Living, and nursing home administrators are speaking out to urge the public to sign the petition for the emergency assistance bill.
"Without the federal emergency assistance bill, our Medicaid program here in Michigan is in trouble," said President and CEO of the Health Care Association of Michigan David LaLumia. "Vulnerable citizens and the frail elderly will be harmed without this medicaid assistance."
The campaign is trying to help pass the 2010 Nursing Home Patient and Medicaid Assistance Act.
It would give $709.7 million in emergency Medicaid relief for nursing facilities to ensure quality care for patients and job security for caregivers.
The tour ends in Long Beach, California on October 10th, where they will present the signatures to congress.
