Legislative Bulletin: Senate GOP Unveils Revised Health Care Bill
Senate GOP Unveils Revised Health Care Bill
On Thursday, Senate Republicans released a revised version of the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) with adjustments aimed at winning over reluctant moderates and conservatives. Unlike previous versions, the bill would keep in place the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) 3.8 percent tax on investment income and 0.9 percent payroll tax, which apply to individuals earning over $200,000 and couples earning over $250,000. Other changes include the addition of $45 billion to combat the nation’s opioid abuse crisis and an amendment allowing insurers, under certain conditions, to offer health plans that did not comply with ACA standards.
Like previous versions, the amended BCRA would convert Medicaid from an open-ended entitlement to per capita caps. However, in the event of a public health emergency, state Medicaid spending in a particular part of a state would not be counted toward the caps.
Click here for more information about the bill.
FY 2018 HUD Appropriations Bill Includes Full 202 Funding and Cuts to Other Programs
On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) approved a FY 2018 spending bill with full funding for Section 202 Project Rental Assistance Contracts and increased funding for Service Coordinators. This is a testament to the strength of LeadingAge National’s Save HUD 202 campaign and your advocacy efforts. Thank you!
While the subcommittee rejected the worst of the Trump administration’s requested cuts, the bill is still far from ideal. Per LeadingAge National, it would “cut overall HUD funding by $487 million compared to fiscal year 2017” and “provide less than is necessary to renew all Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance Contracts, which undergird about 1.4 million homes, including about two-thirds of Section 202 homes.” It would also:
- Provide for full renewal funding for Section 811 renewals;
- Cut funding for the public housing capital, HOME, and CDBG programs;
- Increase funding for housing choice voucher renewals, but not by enough to provide renewal funding for all vouchers currently in use; and
- Flat-fund homeless assistance grants.
The next steps for the bill include approval by the full House Appropriations Committee, which could occur as early as July 17th, and consideration and movement of a separate Senate HUD appropriations bill. FY 2018 begins on Oct. 1, 2017.
Action Alert: Continue Urging Governor Cuomo to Sign ALP CON, SSI, and Bed Hold Bills
Amid all the activity on the federal level, don’t forget to keep up your state advocacy! Three of LeadingAge NY’s priority bills are still awaiting Governor Cuomo’s approval. Please continue urging him to sign these bills by sending him our pre-written letters, tweets, and Facebook posts.
- ALP CON Process: A.7727-A (Lupardo)/S.5840 (Hannon), introduced at LeadingAge NY’s request, would convert the Assisted Living Program (ALP) from a competitive solicitation process to a certificate of need (CON) process that awards beds based on demonstrated community need and allow existing ALP providers to add up to nine beds through an expedited process. Click here to engage with the Governor.
- SSI Increase for ACFs: A.6715-B (Brindisi)/S.6732 (Serino), introduced at LeadingAge NY’s request, would increase the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) rate for adult care facilities (ACFs) by $20 per resident per day over five years, beginning April 1, 2018. To urge the Governor’s support for this bill, please click here. We also ask that you share the following messages on social media:
- Twitter: .@NYGovCuomo Please sign A.6715-B/S.6732! An SSI increase for ACF residents will keep them out of nursing homes & save the state Medicaid $.
- Facebook: @GovernorAndrewCuomo, please sign A.6715-B/S.6732 to increase the SSI rate for ACFs by $20 per resident per day! An increase will save Medicaid dollars by maintaining ACFs as financially-viable alternatives to nursing homes and allowing beneficiaries to remain in community-based settings. #SupportOurSeniors
- Nursing Home Bed Hold Restoration: A.8338 (Gottfried)/S.6559 (Hannon) would fully restore the nursing home bed hold cuts included in the final 2017-18 State Budget. Click here to connect with the Governor. In addition, please copy and paste the following messages on Facebook and Twitter:
- Twitter: .@NYGovCuomo Please sign A.8338/S.6559 to ensure that nursing home residents can always return to their beds! #SupportOurSeniors
- Facebook: @GovernorAndrewCuomo, please sign A.8338/S.6559 to ensure that nursing home residents can always return to their beds! #SupportOurSeniors
Speaker Heastie Embarks on Statewide Regional Tour
This week, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie embarked on his second statewide regional tour to “visit with colleagues and learn about the challenges unique to each area of [New York State].”
The tour kicked off with stops in Syracuse and Central New York. Speaker Heastie will be in Rochester, the North Country, and Western New York in the coming weeks, and he will visit the Plattsburgh region, the Capital District and the Mohawk Valley, the Hudson Valley, the Southern Tier, and Long Island later in the summer and fall.
Click here to view the Speaker’s announcement.
Former Speaker Sheldon Silver’s Conviction Overturned
Lastly, a federal appeals court on Thursday overturned the corruption conviction of former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, citing a recent Supreme Court decision that “narrowed the definition of the kind of official conduct that can serve as the basis of a corruption prosecution.”
Silver, who served as speaker for more than two decades, was convicted of honest services fraud, extortion, and money laundering in November 2015. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison but had been allowed to remain free pending appeal.
Contacts:
Ami Schnauber, aschnauber@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8854
Jeff Diamond, jdiamond@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8821