Washington, D.C. –The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) today recognized the 2018 Joe Warner Patient Advocacy Award recipients at its annual Congressional Briefing event. Two advocates for the long term and post-acute care profession were recognized for their commitment to care for seniors and individuals with disabilities:
Gerald Coggin, Legislative Consultant, National HealthCare Corporation
Dan Holdhusen, Director of Government Relations, The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society
AHCA/NCAL gives this award to association 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.
“Gerald and Dan are passionate about caring for some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society,” said AHCA/NCAL President and CEO Mark Parkinson. “They set a high standard in our profession for dedication to advocacy, and we are better for having their voices in Washington.”
This year’s award recipients truly represent the best of the long term and post-acute care profession.
- Gerald Coggin is a legislative consultant at the National HealthCare Corporation (NHC), a long term care operator 76 skilled nursing centers, 36 homecare programs, five residential living communities, and 24 assisted living communities. NHC is based out of Murfreesboro, Tenn. Coggin retired from NHC after 43 years of service and now works as a legislative consultant on federal issues. In his time with NHC, he worked as a center administrator, regional administrator, senior regional vice president, and his last job was senior vice president of corporate affairs and ancillary services. For 29 of those years, Gerald served as an advisor to NHC’s political action committee.
Dan Holdhusen is director of government relations for The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, the nation’s largest not-for-profit provider of senior housing and services, with more than 200 locations in 24 states including skilled nursing, assisted living, senior living and home- and community-based services. Dan previously worked as a CEO in the electric utility industry, learning the government’s role in regulation. When he first joined Good Sam in 1992, he was the Chief Financial Officer for 10 years. He has held a number of positions for the society, briefly retired before accepting a call to serve full time in his current role where he is exercising his passion for advocating on behalf of our nation’s seniors.