WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) today welcomed more than 500 long term and post-acute care professionals at its annual Congressional Briefing event to take the profession’s legislative priorities to Capitol Hill. Advocates will hear from Senator Joe Manchin (D- WV), Representatives Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH) and Bryan Steil (R-WI), and veteran journalist and CBS News’ Chief Washington Correspondent Major Garrett.
“We are here on behalf of millions of residents, caregivers, and our communities,” said AHCA/NCAL President & CEO Mark Parkinson. “We must share their stories and make our voices heard on the Hill. This is one of the most important actions we can take to advocate for the future of long term care.”
AHCA/NCAL members will meet with hundreds of members of Congress to share their local experiences and discuss several topics of importance, including:
- the profession’s struggling economic recovery due to chronic underfunding and the pandemic, resulting in closures across the country;
- a historic labor crisis that is worse than any other health care sector, as providers struggle to recruit and retain caregivers due to burnout and limited resources to compete for workers; and
- the critical safety net that Medicaid provides for vulnerable seniors and individuals with disabilities who need long term care and the need to fully fund the program.
“We are showing up, ready to advocate for our residents and our staff. It’s critical,” said AHCA Board Chair Phil Fogg. “Our recovery from COVID-19 and the workforce challenges have a direct impact on access to care for our nation’s seniors and require immediate action and support from policymakers.”
During the event, AHCA/NCAL also recognized the 2022 Joe Warner Patient Advocacy Award recipients Jim Carlson and Shawn Scott:
- Jim Carlson is a senior advisor at the Oregon Health Care Association (OHCA). Prior to his current role, Carlson served as CEO of the OHCA for 23 years, until 2020. With more than 25 years of experience in health policy and association management, Carlson is widely recognized as one of the leading long term care and health policy resources in Oregon. For more than two decades, he has worked closely with local, state, and federal policymakers; advocates; businesses; and coalitions to enhance quality care and services in Oregon. Before first joining OHCA as director of government affairs in 1994, Carlson served as associate director of government affairs for the Oregon Medical Association. He began his career as a legislative assistant for the U.S. House of Representatives. He is a past member of the AHCA Board of Governors and past-president of the American Society of Health Care Association Executives (ASHCAE).
- Shawn Scott is the Vice President of Business Development with Medline Industries. He developed Medline’s “LTC Solutions,” a series of programs that help facilities analyze their risk management and spend management programs and then creates strategic plans that will continue to provide solutions for the facility as the industry changes. Over the past 15 years, Scott has served on the AHCA Board of Governors, the NCAL Board of Directors, the Political Action and Involvement Committee, and the Survey Regulatory Committee. He helped create the Associate Business Member and Political Action Committee programs for AHCA/NCAL’s business partners.
The Joe Warner Patient Advocacy Award is bestowed to AHCA/NCAL members who have worked directly to educate members of Congress about the needs of long term and post-acute care patients and to advance quality care. The award recognizes long term care professionals who possess the same compassion for – and commitment to – the country’s elderly and individuals with disabilities that exemplified the work of former president and CEO of Illinois-based Heritage Enterprises, Joe Warner.
Congressional Briefing runs through Tuesday, June 7 at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill.