Legislative Bulletin: February Fridays Begin Now!

February Fridays are back!
With budget season in full-swing it’s time to start connecting with lawmakers once again, urging their support in protecting aging services. Today kicks off our first February Friday and we have developed two letters that are located below and on our Legislative Action Center to send to your lawmakers. Please take five minutes out of your day today and urge your colleagues and those you serve to join in on this crucial advocacy initiative.

• Support Funding for Affordable Senior Housing! Urge your lawmakers to support funding initiatives that are proposed in this year’s budget proposal, and educate them about the need for additional senior housing in New York.
• Protect New York’s Nursing Homes! Urge your lawmakers to adjust the Medicaid Global Cap and reject the standard wage mandate and CMI cap.

While we are focusing today’s efforts on budget issues impacting nursing homes and senior housing, next week advocacy letters will focus on home care, managed long term care and assisted living.

If you need assistance with this letter writing campaign or would like information on additional advocacy opportunities, please contact Alyssa Lovelace at 518-867-8383.

LeadingAge New York submits testimony to joint budget committees
Jim Clyne, President/CEO of LeadingAge New York, presented testimony at the Joint Legislative Budget Hearing on Health/Medicaid, earlier this week, speaking on the following over-arching themes: the global cap, which limits growth to 3.8% this year; the $1.2 billion Capital Financing Program; reimbursement for UAS-NY; increased funding for wage parity; rejection of the standard wage mandate for nursing homes; rejection of the case-mix cap; and earmarking funding for affordable senior housing development. Click here to read LeadingAge New York’s testimony. In addition to the Health/Medicaid testimony, LeadingAge New York also submitted testimony to the Joint Budget Committee on Housing. The testimony specifically called on the Legislature to secure funding for affordable senior housing with supportive services in this year’s budget. Read the housing testimony here.

The PAC Golf Tournament is back!
The annual LeadingAge New York PAC Golf Tournament is back at Saratoga Spa Golf Course on Mon., June 16. Shotgun start will be at 12:45 sharp!

In addition to the PAC’s traditional 18-hole tournament, we will once again host a pro-clinic and 9-hole tournament for those who have not golfed with us in the past or want to try out the sport.

Keep an eye on your inbox for sponsorship opportunities and registration.

Advocacy Day was a success!
Thank you to all of those who participated in this year’s LeadingAge New York/Adult Day Health Care Council Advocacy Day! Participants had very productive meetings with lawmakers and their staff, and legislators were very receptive to our budget concerns. Thank you to Senators Hannon and Golden (right) and Assemblywoman Millman (left)for joining us for our luncheon and sharing their budget concerns and expressing their support for aging services providers. All Advocacy Day materials are available here. If you were unable to join us, please contact your legislators, request a meeting in their district office and share our materials and your budget concerns with them.

Legislative update
Placed on the Assembly Calendar:

• Safe Patient Handling Act (A.2180-C (Gunther)-S.1123-C (Maziarz)): This bill would create a Statewide Safe Patient Handling Policy for all health care facilities in New York State, and requires facilities to establish the Safe Patient Handling Work Group to assist with compliance and training requirements reflecting the statewide policy. While member facilities follow safe patient handling procedures, the bill remains very problematic, and goes as far as opening the door to patient abandonment. The bill could require the use of mechanical lifts in conflict with individualized care plans and would allow non-professionals to override the underlying judgments of nursing and rehabilitative professionals. LeadingAge New York http://capwiz.com/leadingage/ny/issues/alert/?alertid=62522281&type=ST&show_alert=1opposes this bill and urges you to send a letter to your lawmakers opposing this legislation!