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.

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