Legislative Bulletin: Limit Cuts to CHHAs!

Legislative Session Winds Down, Priorities Yet to Be Addressed by Lawmakers
Yesterday afternoon, reports indicated that the legislative session would be extended until Fri., June 19. Session was scheduled to end on Wed., June 17, giving lawmakers only the weekend and three scheduled session days to debate and pass priority legislation. The last few weeks have brought heated discussions between the Legislature, New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio and Governor Cuomo about rent control laws, which are set to expire at midnight on Monday, along with the 421-a tax abatement program. The next few days will bring debates among legislators, as well as advocates, who will work to get their priorities addressed before the Legislature adjourns for the remainder of the year. In the meantime, we still need your help to ensure that our priorities are heard in Albany. Please take a few minutes out of your day to connect with your lawmakers on the advocacy opportunities listed below.

Attention Home Care Providers! Urge Your Lawmakers to Limit Cuts to Certified Home Health Agencies: LeadingAge New York, the Home Care Association of New York State and the NYS Association of Health Care Providers issued a memo of support, yesterday, urging lawmakers to pass A.8171 (Gottfried)-S.5878 (Hannon). This legislation amends certified home health agency episodic payment system rebasing language. The bill was introduced to the Assembly and Senate Health Committees. Please email your lawmakers now, urging them to support this legislation.
Oppose legislation that would hinder supportive housing growth in NYC: This legislation, A.2553-A (Benedetto)-S. 4542-A (Klein), would give unprecedented power to local Community Boards to block important community facilities and residences. The bill would potentially harm constituents by making it nearly impossible to develop supportive senior housing, assisted living and a huge range of other important community assets in New York City. This bill already passed in the Senate and remains in the Assembly Cities Committee. Please email your Assemblymembers now, urging them to oppose this legislation.
Increase the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Personal Needs Allowance (PNA) rates for low-income seniors in ACFs: This legislation is part of an ongoing effort to get an increase in the State portion of the SSI rate for ACFs, along with a built in future cost of living adjustment to prevent the rate from getting so far away from the cost of providing care. The bill was reported to the Assembly Ways & Means and Senate Finance Committees. Please email your lawmakers now, urging them to co-sponsor and pass A.7393-A (Brindisi)-S.5151 (Little).
Oppose Nurse Staffing Ratios: Known as the Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act, this legislation would create specific staffing ratios for nurses and other direct-care staff in hospitals and nursing homes. LeadingAge NY opposes the legislation, which if enacted, would cost an estimated $1.06 billion to implement in nursing homes and would require more than an hour of additional staff time per resident per day when compared to current staffing. Advocates in support of this legislation have been hosting rallies and attending events in the Capitol to see that this legislation is passed. The bill has not moved from the Assembly Ways & Means Committee since April, and has not left the Senate Health Committee since being introduced in January. To ensure this bill does not gain any more traction, please email to your lawmakers now, urging them to oppose this legislation.
TBI/NHTD waiver delay: LeadingAge NY supports this legislation, A.7598 (Gottfried)-S.5535 (Hannon), which would delay the transition of consumers receiving Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) waiver services into managed care until April 1, 2017. The legislation also seeks to establish a workgroup under the Commissioner of Health that will allow stakeholders to have input in the continuity of care provisions; rates; and workforce requirements necessary to ensure that consumers are transitioned smoothly into managed care. This bill has been placed on the Assembly Calendar, and has been moved to the Senate Rules Committee. LeadingAge NY urges members to send a memo of support to their Senators, using the template for A.7598 (Gottfried)-S.5535 (Hannon), available here.
Hospice isolated patient: This legislation, A.2150 (Gottfried)-S.1153 (Hannon), would allow an attending physician to elect hospice care for the “isolated patient.” Hospice care provides medical, spiritual and emotional care to individuals with life-threatening illnesses with a prognosis of six months or less to live. Currently, under the Family Health Care Decisions Act, “isolated patients,” typically nursing home residents, who lack capacity and are without a surrogate, go without access to their hospice benefit. This bill has already passed in the Assembly, and remains on the Senate Calendar. LeadingAge New York supports A.2150 (Gottfried)-S.1153 (Hannon), and urges members to send a memo of support to their Senators, using the template for A.2150 (Gottfried)-S.1153 (Hannon), available here.

EQUAL Legislation Passes Both Houses
One of LeadingAge NY’s legislative priorities pertaining to adult care facilities passed both houses of the Legislature, earlier this week. The legislation amends EQUAL language to enable the expenditure of funds retrospectively, within the fiscal year. The language resolves an issue in the recently enacted budget, which disallowed EQUAL funds to be used for expenses incurred prior to the release of the application and funding. The bill would resolve the issue so that, consistent with past practice, EQUAL funds can be used for expenses incurred within the fiscal year, even if they are retrospective, as long as they are consistent with the EQUAL program objectives and approved by the organization's resident council. Thank you to all of the advocates who took the time to email their lawmakers to ensure the bill was passed. The bill now awaits the Governor’s approval.

LeadingAge NY Housing Members Meet with HUD
Members of LeadingAge NY’s Housing Cabinet met this week with officials of the HUD Multi-Family division to discuss the Department’s reorganization, and ongoing concerns about New York’s stock of aging 202 properties. A major reorganization is underway that will eliminate many of the regional offices, such as the one in Buffalo, and merge most functions into the regional centers, such as the one in New York City.

The Section 202 Program has funded hundreds of rental buildings for elders in New York since its creation in 1959. Many of these buildings now have significant capital needs, but in a time of declining resources, providers frequently struggle to make capital improvements from modest reserve accounts. LeadingAge NY members are participating in a national survey of 202 Project Rental Assistance Contracts (PRAC) to quantify ongoing capital needs of these aging buildings, which provide a critical source of affordable housing for low income seniors. The deadline for the survey, which can be accessed here, is Tues., June 30.

Congress Removes Medicare Cuts from Trade Bill
Congress voted to remove Medicare cuts that would have been used to help pay for the expansion of the Trade Assistance Adjustment (TAA) Program, yesterday. The legislation expanding the TAA would extend the Medicare sequestration through 2024 to assist in paying for the TAA program, increasing the cut to Medicare by $700 million. Using Medicare as a means to pay for the program generated national attention from healthcare and senior services providers around the country. LeadingAge NY issued joint letter with other State associations last week, urging Congress to oppose the Senate-passed TAA Program. Read more here.

Brooklyn Democrat to Resign Seat
Assemblymember Alec Brook-Krasny will resign his seat to take a new position in the private sector, according to an article in the Home Reporter and Sunset News. The article reports that those looking to replace Brook-Krasny are his chief of staff Kate Cucco; Andrew Gounardes, counsel to Borough President Eric Adams; attorney John Gangem; and Edwin Cosme, an activist from Coney Island. Brook-Krasny is a member of the Assembly Aging Committee; Housing Committee; Social Services Committee; Election Law Committee; and Government Employees Committee. He was first elected to the Assembly in 2007.

Support Your PAC!
The LeadingAge NY Political Action Committee, or “PAC,” makes financial contributions to the election campaigns of the legislative leaders, committee chairs and individual legislators who have shown a strong commitment to continuing care. Your donation builds and maintains political connections by funding attendance at political events. Our success depends on members’ contributions. The more money we have, the more we can donate to the campaigns of and attend fundraisers for elected officials who support our political agenda. Contributors at the $1,000 level will receive exclusive rewards at upcoming events and in marketing materials. Learn more about the PAC or make your donation by visiting the LeadingAge NY PAC website. If you have any questions or would like to find out how you can become involved with the PAC, 2016 Annual PAC Golf tournament or Founders Club, contact Alyssa Lovelace at 518-867-8844.

Contact: Alyssa Lovelace, alovelace@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8844