Advocacy Alert! Six Legislative Session Days Remain
The Legislative Session is winding down with only six (including today) scheduled days left. These last few days are vitally important for advocates who have lined the halls of the Capitol to meet with their lawmakers on their remaining priorities including LeadingAge NY and the association’s counsel, Hinman Straub. We encourage you to take part in the advocacy opportunities listed below to help ensure our concerns are addressed in Albany throughout these remaining critical days:
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 has been moved to Assembly Ways & Means Committee, and remains in the Senate Finance Committee. Please email your lawmakers now, urging them to co-sponsor and pass A.7393-A (Brindisi)-S.5151 (Little).
Amend EQUAL language to enable the expenditure of funds retrospectively, within the fiscal year: This initiative is part of LeadingAge NY's ongoing advocacy efforts to resolve 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. This legislation 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. This bill is on today's Assembly Rules Committee Agenda, and is on the Senate Calendar where it is expected to be taken up for debate. Please email your lawmakers now, urging them to co-sponsor and pass A.7502 (Gottfried)-S.5346 (Hannon).
Attention Housing Members: Oppose legislation that would hinder supportive housing growth in NYC: This legislation 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 has already passed in the Senate, and remains in the Assembly Cities Committee. Please email your Assemblymembers 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 was reported the Assembly and Senate Rules Committees. 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 has been placed on the Senate Calendar for debate. 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.
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. Please email to your lawmakers now, urging them to oppose this legislation.
Contact: Alyssa Lovelace, alovelace@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8844