Legislative Bulletin: Two Weeks Away from 2024 Advocacy Day!
January 12, 2024
TWO WEEKS AWAY – Register Now for 2024 Advocacy Day!
The Executive Budget Proposal is expected to be released next week, and with this in mind, we are planning our 2024 budget advocacy in earnest. It is critical that we have as many members as possible join us in Albany for our 2024 Advocacy Day on Jan. 30th! During our in-person advocacy day, we will be urging State legislators to support and appropriately fund the entire continuum of long-term care/aging services providers; including nursing homes, assisted living/adult care facilities, home care agencies, senior housing, adult day health care, managed long-term care and more!
WHEN: Jan. 30, 2024
WHERE: The Empire State Plaza Convention Center (279 Madison Ave., Albany, NY 12242)
HOW:
- CLICK HERE TO REGISTER for LeadingAge NY's 2024 Advocacy Day!
- Once you are registered for our coordinated budget advocacy efforts, CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER's Albany offices to request an in-person meeting on Tues., Jan. 30th. To make this as easy as possible, LeadingAge NY has created this Legislative Scheduling Guide to assist you in scheduling your meetings.
- Once your meetings are scheduled, please send your meeting details to Sarah Daly at sdaly@leadingageny.org. This is critical to enhancing our organization, collaboration, and overall advocacy impact.
Please note that we recommend members schedule their own legislative meetings, as it often results in a timelier response and the legislator themselves joining the meeting. LeadingAge NY is also happy to assist you in scheduling your meetings, however, if you would like this level of support and assistance, it is critical that you register AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!
During our Advocacy Day, LeadingAge NY will:
- Provide breakfast & lunch;
- be available to join you for your legislative meetings;
- provide legislative materials and “handouts” for legislators;
- assist in any necessary follow-up from meetings;
- provide a meeting room, directions, parking information, logistical support and more!
Finally, to ensure that members are familiar with what is in the SFY 2024-25 Executive Budget Proposal (once released) and all details of our 2024 Advocacy Day, LeadingAge NY will be hosting a Budget and Advocacy Day Prep Call on Fri., Jan. 26th at 11 a.m. However, you need to register for advocacy day in order to get a direct invitation for the prep call.
More information on our 2024 Advocacy Day can be found here. Please reach out to Sarah Daly (sdaly@leadingageny.org) with any questions.
ACTION ALERT: Amplify LeadingAge NY Social Media Messages!
As we await the release of the Executive Budget Proposal next week, LeadingAge NY is leveraging the power of social media to attract more attention to the underfunding of nursing home care in New York State. We need to make as much noise as possible if we want the Executive Budget Proposal to include critical investments and reform of the nursing home Medicaid Program!
TO HELP US MAKE SOME NOISE, PLEASE TAKE A MOMEMENT TO ‘LIKE’ & ‘SHARE’ THE BELOW SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGES!!! It only takes a few clicks and will put meaningful public pressure on the Governor! PLEASE LIKE AND SHARE THESE MESSAGES NOW!!!
*If you share the message on Facebook, we recommend that you tag Governor Hochul again in your own post, even if you simply write "@Governor Kathy Hochul – Please provide better funding for nursing home care in New York!"
- LeadingAge NY Facebook Post
- LeadingAge NY Twitter Post
If you would like to post some social media messages of your own tagging the Governor, additional messages and graphics, along with tips and suggestions, can be found here.
LeadingAge NY Launches Video Campaign Ahead of Executive Budget Release
As the State Legislative session and state budget process gets underway, LeadingAge New York and its members have launched an advocacy campaign calling on Governor Hochul and policy makers to reform and invest in nursing home Medicaid reimbursement, and provide funding that better matches the cost of providing care.
In a press release announcing the launch for the video, LeadingAge NY points out that approximately 97,000 New Yorkers receive care in the State’s nursing homes every day, and Medicaid is the primary payer for the vast majority of older adults receiving these critical services. However, today there is an $810 million (State-share) Medicaid gap between reimbursement and the costs of providing skilled nursing care.
LeadingAge NY is thrilled to share this new advocacy video, but we ask members to please refrain from sharing or publishing the video just yet. We will have specific ways we will ask members to help us share this video widely - beginning early next week and in relation to the Executive Budget Proposal. To have the impact we want, we will want to be strategic with the release and sharing of the video. Stay tuned!
Governor Delivers 2024 State of the State Address
On Tuesday, Governor Kathy Hochul delivered her 2024 State of the State address from the Assembly Chamber floor. Setting the tone for the legislative session and State Budget, she called for collaboration among elected officials, legislative and executive branches, and state and local officials. Her address was accompanied by a lengthy policy agenda for the coming year, entitled State of the State: Our New York, Our Future.
The concepts in the State of the State are broad, and do not include many salient details. We anticipate that many of the proposals mentioned today will be reflected in greater detail in the Executive Budget Proposal and budget bills, due to be released on Jan. 16, 2024. The budget will surely also include proposals not addressed in this State of the State message.
Following the State of the State on Tuesday, LeadingAge NY shared a member message reviewing some of the highlights and specific measures that may impact non-profit/public long-term care providers should they be pursued and implemented in the State Budget process. The message also includes some critical next steps we encourage our members to join us in, including our 2024 Budget Advocacy Day scheduled for Jan. 30th.
We truly appreciate your engagement and efforts in the state budget process, on top of everything you are doing for the individuals in your care. We know your time is limited, but it is critical that we have as many LeadingAge NY members as possible participate in advocacy throughout the duration 2024 budget negotiations. Thank you for staying engaged with us!
Medicaid 1115 Waiver Amendment Approved by CMS
This week, Governor Hochul also announced the approval of the State's long-sought amendment to its Medicaid 1115 waiver. The amendment will invest $7.5 billion in health and social care over three years, focusing on health equity, safety net hospitals, and workforce shortages. According to State Medicaid Director Amir Bassiri, the amendment "will allow the state to advance health equity, reduce health disparities, support the delivery of health-related social needs, sustain critical safety net hospitals, and establish career pathways training programs for front-line health and social care professionals that will target workforce shortages throughout the state.”
The waiver amendment has four key elements, which LeadingAge NY reported on here, and also includes substance use disorder waiver authority. LeadingAge NY is still analyzing the 200-page document and will provide additional information as appropriate.
LeadingAge NY advocated vociferously and repeatedly for a stronger focus in the waiver on older adults, people with disabilities who use long term care services, and the providers that serve them. The association submitted five comment letters to State and federal authorities, testified in public hearings, and met with the Department of Health (DOH). Unfortunately, our concerns and recommendations were not heeded. We will continue to advocate for older adults and individuals in need of long term care services and their providers, as the Department rolls out its plans for implementation of the waiver amendment.
Contact: Sarah Daly; 518.867.8845; sdaly@leadingageny.org