Action Needed Today

ACTION NEEDED: Please Call State Legislators in Support of Critical Budget Investments!

• Members can find state legislators’ contact information here. Please call the Albany office of State Legislators representing the area you serve.
• Service line-specific talking points for phone calls are available below. 
  • Keep your top budget requests for phone calls to 3-4 items.
  • For additional details on these budget requests, download and share any of these state budget issue briefs.
  • More information is available here.

Service Line Talking Points

Nursing Homes:

• Thank you for your support so far in this year’s state budget work.
• We are hearing that the State is now moving toward a final state budget.
• At this critical time, please do not forget the funding and budget actions necessary to support non-profit nursing homes, our residents, and our workforce.
• In the final state budget, please add $750 million in new Medicaid funding for nursing homes, and continue last year's investment of $385 million in the nursing home Medicaid rate.
• We also ask that the final budget include the full capital cut restoration of 15%, as was proposed in both the Senate and Assembly one-house budget proposals. 
• Our residents and workforce deserve permanent funding and reimbursement that covers the actual cost of care. We need this funding in order to continue serving the older adults and medically vulnerable individuals in our community.
• Lastly, please accept and include the Governor’s proposal to authorize medication aides in nursing homes in the final budget.
• Thank you again for your time, and please let me know if you have any questions.

Adult Care Facilities (ACFs) and Assisted Living:

• Thank you for your support so far in this year’s state budget work.
• We are hearing that the State is now moving toward a final state budget.
• At this critical time, please do not forget the funding and budget actions necessary to support the assisted living and adult care facilities – and older adults – who rely on government funding in order to operate and offer high-quality care.
• Please increase the Assisted Living Program (ALP) Medicaid rate by at least 10% and update the base year upon which the rate is calculated (as proposed in bill A.1406 (Paulin)/S.3329 (Cooney)).
• Double the funding for the Special Needs Assisted Living Residence (SNALR) Voucher program to $15 million.
• Restore full funding for the Enhancing the Quality of Adult Living (EQUAL) program at $6.5 million for ACFs that serve low-income residents.
• Restore funding for the Enriched Housing Subsidy program at $380,000 for ACFs that serve low-income residents.
• Thank you again for your time, and please let me know if you have any questions.

Affordable Senior Housing Resident Assistants:

• Thank you for your support so far in this year’s state budget work.
• We are hearing that the State is now moving toward a final state budget.
• At this critical time, please do not forget the funding and budget actions necessary in order to establish the Affordable Senior Housing Resident Assistance Program.
• Please accept and include the Senate’s proposal to invest just $2 million in this year’s budget to support Resident Assistant positions in affordable rental housing for low-income older adults.
• This funding will help older adults living in affordable housing navigate health and social supports and will facilitate on-site social and wellness activities.
• In addition, please accept the Senate’s proposal to commit $40 million in capital to developing and preserving affordable housing properties designed to meet the needs of older adults.
• We need more housing options for aging New Yorkers, and to ensure that these homes have systems in place that can help older adults continue to age healthily and independently, improving their quality of life and reducing strains on the health care sector.
• Thank you again for your time, and please let me know if you have any questions.

Home and Community-Based Services:

• Thank you for your support so far in this year’s state budget work.
• We are hearing that the State is now moving toward a final state budget.
•  Please do not forget the funding and budget actions necessary to support the home and community-based service options that are critical for the healthy and independent aging of New Yorkers.
• In the final state budget, please ensure adequate funding for certified home health agencies and hospice agencies as proposed by the Senate.
• Please also invest in Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) programs and fully restore the nursing home capital rate cut, which also impacts ADHC.
• Please restore the fee-for-service personal care administrative reimbursement rate cut at $7.5 million.
• Please ensure that the Hospital at Home program requires home care collaborations and does not divert funds from long-term/post-acute care services.
• Thank you again for your time, and please let me know if you have any questions.

Managed Long-Term Care (MLTC) and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE):

• Thank you for your support so far in this year’s state budget work.
• We are hearing that the State is now moving toward a final state budget.
• At this critical time, please do not forget the funding and budget actions necessary to support aging New Yorkers who rely on MLTC or could benefit from the expansion of PACE programs.
• In the final budget, please address these three simple requests: 
• Restore the MLTC Quality Pool for Partial Cap and Medicaid Advantage Plus (MAP) plans.
• Preserve Partial Cap MLTC and the access to quality care it has created. If it comes up in discussions, please reject A.2018-A (Paulin)/S.2332-A (Rivera).
• Thank you again for your time, and please let me know if you have any questions.