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Legislative Bulletin: Seven Days Remaining of 2024 Session

May 24, 2024

LeadingAge New York Bills to Watch for End of Session

The  2024 Legislative Session is scheduled to conclude on June 6th, and there are only seven session days remaining on the calendar. While this sounds like a short time, there is a great deal of legislative activity taking place in these final weeks.

With many long term care-related issues still front-of-mind for lawmakers, and with some of LeadingAge New York's own policy priorities remaining unaddressed, it is certain that we will need your continued advocacy throughout the remainder of this session.

Below is a list of top priority issues for LeadingAge New York membership to be aware of over the next two weeks. As you will see, many of the bills listed also have a corresponding digital letter writing campaign.  We hope you will join us in advocacy FOR or AGAINST the issues that matter most to you! For the listed bills that have a digital letter campaign available, we hope you will take a moment to contact your state legislators! It only takes a few minutes to complete the digital letter writing campaign and amplify our unified voice!

LeadingAge New York SUPPORTS the Following Bills:

LeadingAge New York OPPOSES the Following Bills:

Thank you for your advocacy throughout the remainder of the 2024 Legislative Session! We will keep you apprised of the latest advocacy action items via email action alerts and this weekly Legislative Bulletin.  

 

SOCIAL MEDIA ALERT: Advocate for Nursing Home and ALP Medicaid Rebasing!

Yesterday, LeadingAge NY hosted a digital day of action for members to take to social media in support of nursing home and assisted living program rebasing legislation. Both pieces of legislation, together, would ensure that Medicaid reimbursement for these providers keeps pace with rising costs of operating.

If you did not do so yesterday, we strongly encourage nursing home and assisted living programs to post the below social media messages in the coming days! If you don’t know your legislators social media ‘handles’ (@), you can find your legislators here, and then google their name, followed by “Facebook”, etc. Additionally, we welcome members to edit the posts as you see fit, and/or incorporate corresponding digital advocacy letters.

Nursing Home Rebasing: Post this graphic along with the below social media message on Facebook/LinkedIn/X:

NY should update Medicaid rates at least every 5 years to ensure nursing homes have the resources to re-build our workforce and offer the care and quality of life that residents deserve.  Medicaid pays for 75% of the nursing home care provided in NY. Meanwhile, funding falls short of the costs of care by more than $1 billion annually. Staffing challenges in nursing homes are linked to outdated rates, and insufficient funding has driven 11 nursing homes to close in the last 4 years alone. (Tag Your State Legislators & Governor) – please support, pass & sign A.5905-B/S.6914-A, nursing home rebasing! #OlderAdultsMatter

ALP Rebasing: Post this graphic along with the below social media message on Facebook/LinkedIn/X:

The Assisted Living Program (ALP) is the only AL option for low-income older adults in NY, but the ALP Medicaid rate was stagnant for 15 years until last year. Given the inadequate funding and increases in costs since 2007, many ALPs are struggling financially, threatening older adults’ access to this much-needed service. When low-income older adults can’t find placement in an ALP that could meet their needs, they often have no choice but to be referred to a nursing home setting.

(Tag Your State Legislators & Governor) – Thank you for recent investments in the ALP! However, it critical that we set up a long-term solution to the underfunding of long-term care options. Please support, pass & sign A.7553-B/S.7248, ALP ‘rebasing’, which would ensure ALP Medicaid rates keep pace with rising costs! #OlderAdultsMatter

Share these simple action items with your board members, staff and volunteers to help amplify our unified message!

 

ACTION ALERT: Support ALP Medical Evaluation Legislation!

Last week, LeadingAge NY and association allies successfully introduced A.10244 (Paulin)/S.9598 (Rivera), which would allow assisted living program (ALP) medical evaluations to be signed by a physician, physician assistant (PA), or nurse practitioner (NP), in the same way that is currently permitted in other adult care facility (ACF) and assisted living settings.

Treating an ALP resident differently than other assisted living residents is not only confusing to consumers and the healthcare community, but it also creates access barriers and is inconsistent with New York’s commitment to health equity. Please join us in supporting A.10244 (Paulin)/S.9598 (Rivera), and urge the Legislature to streamline ALP medical evaluations!

CLICK HERE to contact lawmakers in support of A.10244 (Paulin)/S.9598 (Rivera) TODAY! You can also access LeadingAge NY’s memo in support here.

 

NY Lawmakers’ Top Priorities for End of Session
With just seven days left of session, New York lawmakers are focusing in on their top priorities and goals for the year.  Housing reforms are at the forefront, with potential changes to rent stabilization laws and legislation that would allow tenants to buy their buildings, the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act. Criminal justice reform is another major area, with bills aimed at parole reform, reducing mandatory minimum sentences, and the Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act, which would change the law to create improved pathways to exoneration. The debate on bail reform continues, especially concerning hate crimes and domestic terrorism.

Additionally, lawmakers are expected to try and address address agricultural support, health care, and the regulation of social media algorithms for individuals under 18. Environmental priorities include the NY HEAT Act and the Climate Change Superfund Act, both aimed at advancing New York’s climate goals and infrastructure improvements.

With priorities spanning across industries, LeadingAge New York continues to advocate and advance our member priorities to support not-for-profit/public long-term care providers, aging services, and the individuals they serve.

Contact: Sarah Daly; 518.867.8845; sdaly@leadingageny.org

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