Dolan Defends Steelman on Nursing Home Money

"My concern is that John Hancock is attacking Missouri nursing homes for political gain . . . If Congressman Hulshof supports it, it's a new low for an ethical guy like him."

The Executive Director of the Missouri Healthcare Association phones the KY3 Political Notebook to defend Sarah Steelman's attempts to add a $133 million dollar provision to a nursing home bill in 2000 -- a provision Congressman Kenny Hulshof criticized her for

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SOURCE: HULSHOF CAMP MULLING NURSING HOME AD

HULSHOF CAMP REACTS: "State senators and representatives closest to the situation said that Steelman’s $133 million add-on killed the bill," said Scott Baker.

Former Republican State Senator and Missouri Healthcare Association executive director Jon Dolan is defending Sarah Steelman's move to add millions of dollars to a nursing home reform bill back in 2000 and expressing concern about Kenny Hulshof's attempt to make the issue political.

Dolan phoned the KY3 Political Notebook Thursday "to set the record straight," and signaled he might be willing to fund a television ad to fight back.

"This misrepresentation to call what Sarah did an earmark is so completely unfair and untrue, it shocked me," Dolan said.

For background, read this previous post HERE.

Dolan said the $133 million dollars at issue, was not an earmark, but a necessity. "That was to enforce state statute to fully fund nursing homes. This was not an earmark. This was not a boondoggle. This is what I fight for everyday," Dolan said.

Hulshof campaign spokesperson Scott Baker pointed to news accounts that detailed lawmakers views on what happened at the time. "State senators and representatives closest to the situation said that Steelman’s $133 million add-on killed the bill," Baker said.

"This was a bill aimed at protecting nursing home residents from abuse and Sarah Steelman killed it with her reckless giveaway of taxpayer money," he added. "Hiding behind special interest lobbyists won’t stop Missourians from seeing the truth about Sarah Steelman’s shameful record of putting personal interests above the taxpayers of Missouri," Baker said.

But Dolan said the exact type of bill in question -- an annual rate realignment for nursing homes -- was passed by Senator Mike Gibbons in 2004.

"My concern is that John Hancock, a political staffer, is attacking Missouri nursing homes for political gain. If Congressman Hulshof supports it, it's a new low for an ethical guy like him. And he's a friend," Dolan said.

Dolan said he is neutral in the Republican primary for Governor, but admires Steelman for her efforts to push for the money back in 2000. "She stood up and said you are just going to add all these regulations, but not pay them?," Dolan said. "She's done a great job trying to protect seniors, she knows the issue very well, and I would just ask the campaigns not to bring this up. It didn't work for the Jim Talent campaign. It should not be used as a political tool," he said.

Dolan said Missouri is now 19th nationwide in Medicaid reimbursements for nursing homes. The state used to rank 48th in that category. "We're making great progress," Dolan said. "If this continues to go on, we may need to state the record to be clear about what went on," he added, suggesting a possible television campaign.

Dolan said he has made a personal call to Hulshof about the issue, but has not heard back yet.