Legislative Bulletin: Advocacy Day is Next Week!

Advocacy Day Materials and Logistics

We are now just a few days away from the LeadingAge NY/Adult Day Health Care Council/Hospice and Palliative Care Association of New York State Annual Advocacy Day! It’s not too late to join us in Albany on Tues., Feb. 7^th. Please register now, and be sure your legislators know how the state budget will impact your organization.

If you are unable to join us in Albany next week, you can still utilize these materials to educate your lawmakers at home. Lawmakers are typically in their district offices on Thursdays and Fridays. Additionally, Session will be on recess from Feb. 20^th to 27^th, so they will be in their districts that entire week. Please call them today and set up a meeting to discuss your budget concerns.

These dates are great opportunities to connect with legislators and, most importantly, tell your story. Please print out our issue briefs, as well as our Advocacy Action Plan and Advocacy Action Plan – Issue Breakdown resources, and meet with your representatives to build support for our policy agenda. You can also invite them to visit your organization and speak with them about our key advocacy issues there.

This morning, LeadingAge NY held a conference call to review the Advocacy Day materials and logistics with attendees. All the materials are available on the Advocacy Day website, and the links are below. This is a lot of information; just utilize the documents that speak to your concerns. We encourage you, however, to share the 2017 Budget Initiatives Document, which includes our main message that long-term and post-acute care (LTPAC) providers and the people they care for continue to be left behind in many of the reforms and investments that are being provided by the state. Unfortunately, at a time when our over age 65 population is expanding and consumers are already facing gaps in care and services, the Executive Budget provides no investments for LTPAC; in fact, it makes this sector shoulder a disproportionate share of the proposed cuts.

For those who were unable to join the call, below are the most important Advocacy Day logistics:

We will be in Meeting Rooms 3 and 4 on the Empire State Plaza in Albany. A map of the Empire State Plaza Indoor Concourse is available here.
Registration and breakfast will begin at 8 a.m.
Lunch will be served from 12 to 1 p.m.
Attendees have been asked to set up their own meetings with legislators. LeadingAge NY has scheduled several meetings with key committee chairs and leaders. Attendees will be able to leave their coats and belongings in the rooms when heading to meetings.
Parking information is available here.
Talking points and service line-specific issue briefs for LeadingAge NY members are available here.
Handouts and materials will be available at the registration table.
The Meeting Rooms are reserved until 5 p.m.

Advocacy Alert: LeadingAge Holding “Medicaid Call-in Days” from Feb. 1^st to 3^rd

With congressional leaders signaling plans to change Medicaid to a block grant or convert it to a per capita allocation to the states, LeadingAge National is holding “Medicaid Call-in Days” from Feb. 1^st to 3^rd. This marathon advocacy effort offers LeadingAge service providers and those they serve the opportunity to engage with their lawmakers and urge them to oppose fundamental changes to Medicaid.

Today is the last official Call-in Day, but there is never a bad time to contact your lawmakers. Please call your representatives and let them know that the proposed changes would threaten the security of millions of people who rely on Medicaid to cover life-saving services. Calling is quick and easy, and you can follow the steps outlined below:

Dial 866-793-3004. You will be prompted to enter your zip code to get patched through to your lawmaker and leave a brief message.
The automated system will first connect you to your Representative’s office. Leave a message with the staff person who answers the phone.
After leaving your message, do not hang up. Allow the staff person to hang up, and the automated system will then connect you to your Senators.

Click here for more information on the Medicaid Call-in Days.

LeadingAge NY Providing Testimony at Feb. 9^th Housing Budget Hearing

Lastly, Advocacy Day is not the only important event next week – LeadingAge NY will be providing testimony at the Housing budget hearing on Thurs., Feb. 9^th. We will share a copy of this testimony in the coming days.

Contacts:

Ami Schnauber, aschnauber@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8854

Jeff Diamond, jdiamond@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8383