Record Number of WI Participants Attend 2024 Congressional Briefing to Share Concerns with CMS Min. Staffing Requirement
On June 3-4, hundreds of long-term care providers and stakeholders came to Washington, DC to participate in AHCA/NCAL’s marquis advocacy day, the AHCA/NCAL Congressional Briefing.
See a photo gallery of Congressional Briefing here.
Wisconsin was well-represented, with 15 Wisconsin attendees participating in the advocacy efforts.
Congressional Briefing began on Monday, with several breakout sessions, including a Council of States meeting and separate non-profit and assisted living sessions. The briefing continued, with presentations by:
- Mark Parkinson, President & CEO, AHCA/NCAL
- Jonathan Karl, Politics Editor, ABC News
- Sen. John Tester (D-MT)
- Phil Scalo, Chair, AHCA
- Mark Maxfield, Chair, NCAL
Congressional Briefing continued Tuesday morning, with presentations by:
- Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA), Minority Whip
- Clifton J. Porter, II, Senior Vice President, Government Relations
Government Relations, AHCA - LaShuan Bethea, Executive Director, NCAL
- Norman Estes, AHCA/NCAL PAC
Following the briefings, providers and stakeholders the central focus of Congressional office visits was the recently-published CMS rule to impose a rigid one-size-fits-all minimum staffing requirement for nursing homes. Along with sharing practical concerns with the minimum staffing rule, WHCA/WiCAL participants discussed several workforce solutions that would actually have a positive practical impact on LTC workforce challenges:
- Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act (HR 6205)
- Ensuring Seniors’ Access to Care Act (HR 3227)
- Train More Nurses Act (HR 6122)
- Protecting America’s Seniors’ Access to Care Act (HR 7513)
WHCA/WiCAL also discussed ways in which providers are committed to finding innovative solutions to advance quality of care/services, and mentioned the AHCA/NCAL Quality Awards Program. Additionally, we asked members to consider joining the Congressional 21st Century LTC Caucus.
AHCA/NCAL’s Congressional Briefing occurs the first Monday and Tuesday of June each year. WHCA/WiCAL encourages members to consider participating in future years!
