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January 31, 2017
Join the National Call-In Today and Tomorrow to Preserve Health Care for Seniors and People with Disabilities
The Leadership Council of Aging Organizations is holding call-in days today and tomorrow to protect the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid and Medicare. The Trump Administration and Congress are moving forward to repeal the ACA and to make major cuts to Medicaid and Medicare. Call your Senators and Representative to let them know that these changes will hurt seniors and people with disabilities. The call-in number is 866-426-2631. Talking points can include:
- No repeal of the ACA without a replacement that provides equivalent or improved access to affordable, quality health coverage
- Not cuts to and restructuring of Medicaid - cuts to this program would hurt seniors and peoples with disabilities who rely on it for long-term services and supports
- Preserve Medicare - Restructuring would shift more costs onto beneficiaries which would make health care less affordable for seniors and people with disabilities
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Fight Repeal of the Revised Nursing Home Regulations
The revised federal regulations are at risk! Yesterday, Congress began efforts to repeal several regulations. Congress will do this under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) that allows a new Congress to strike down regulations issued during the last 60 days of the previous administration. Since the revised federal nursing home regulations were published on October 4, 2016 in the Obama Administration, Congress can repeal them using the CRA. If repealed, many important protections and rights for nursing home residents would be lost, including better safeguards against abuse, neglect and exploitation, and improved staff training.
Click here to view our communications toolkit that includes information on the CRA, what it means for nursing home residents if the revised federal regulations were repealed, and sample tweets you can use to tell your members of Congress NO to repealing!
Consumer Voice signed onto a letter along with 125 other groups urging Congress to table the CRA because it would harm American workers, consumers and families. Visit rulesatrisk.org to see all of the protections that could be repealed. Click here to see the nursing home regulations page.
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Webinar on a Deeper Dive into the Revised Federal Nursing Home Regulations
This webinar will provide more detailed information about several key sections of the recently revised federal nursing home regulations. This webinar will cover:
- Assessment, Care Planning & Discharge Planning
- Transfer-Discharge
- Nursing Services
- Unnecessary Drugs and Antipsychotic Medications
Join this webinar on Wednesday, February 15 at 2:00pm ET to hear Justice in Aging, Center for Medicare Advocacy and Consumer Voice discuss changes in the regulations and their impact on the care delivered to consumers.
Presenters:
Eric Carlson, Directing Attorney, Justice in Aging
Toby Edelman, Senior Policy Attorney, Center for Medicare Advocacy
Robyn Grant, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, Consumer Voice
Lori Smetanka, Executive Director, Consumer Voice
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Effects of Medicaid Block Grants
The Trump Administration and Congress have vowed to block grant Medicaid. The strategy would turn control of the program to states and cap what the federal government spends on it each year. Currently, Medicaid covers almost 75 million people; the federal and state governments combine funds to cover the costs. If Medicaid is block granted, states would get fixed federal grants based on the state and federal Medicaid spending in that state. Fixed grants could limit access to health care or cut benefits. For more information on block grants, read the article from Kaiser Health News.
n4a Volunteer Training Series
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging is holding a free, six-week training series entitled "Stepping Up: Taking Your Volunteer Program to the Next Level." The program will strengthen the capacity of your aging unit to engage older volunteers and set goals that will bring focus to sustaining volunteer engagement over time.
Apply by February 17; series launches March 7. Learn more here.
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Survey on Impact of Volunteer Programs at AAAs
The Aging Network Volunteer Resource Center is measuring the impact of volunteer programs at Area Agencies on Aging nationwide. Complete a quick online survey that will help them better understand the role of volunteers in helping you achieve your mission. Contact Peter Lane plane@n4a.org to learn more and receive the survey.
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Spotlight on Educational Resources
The Consumer Voice and the National Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC) have a multitude of resources available online covering a wide range of long-term care topics. Visit the Consumer Voice website and the NORC website to explore all the available resources. Take a look at this week's highlighted resource:
Policy Break: CMS's Recent Emergency Preparedness Rule - Since the disaster of Hurricane Sandy in 2009, a rule surrounding emergency preparedness has been on the “national agenda” for quite some time. CMS’s final rule, Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers, requires long-term care providers to: (1) create coordinated emergency plans and policies; (2) install and maintain emergency power systems; and (3) create plans regarding missing residents in the wake of an emergency. The final rule went into effect on November 16, 2016.
This rule will prove crucial for residents in facilities who have motorized wheelchairs or utilize continuous positive airways to breath in times of emergency. The Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers puts in place critical requirements to ensure resident safety. To learn more about this rule, click here.
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In this Issue
Join the National Call-In Today and Tomorrow to Preserve Health Care for Seniors and People with Disabilities
Fight Repeal of the Revised Nursing Home Regulations
Webinar on a Deeper Dive into the Revised Federal Nursing Home Regulations
Effects of Medicaid Block Grants
n4a Volunteer Training Series
Survey on Impact of Volunteer Programs at AAAs
Spotlight on Educational Resources
Combined Federal Campaign
#10552
Thank you for your support!
Calendar of Events
Tuesday, February 7: The Sexual Abuse of Vulnerable Adults in Institutions: Key Findings and Implications for Practice, 2:00pm ET
Wednesday, February 15: A Deeper Dive into the Revised Federal Nursing Home Regulations: Part 1, 2:00pm ET, Webinar from Consumer Voice, Justice in Aging, and Center for Medicare Advocacy
November 8-11, 2017: Consumer Voice 41st Annual Conference, Arlington, VA
Join the conversation and follow us on social media!
Last Week's Most Popular Post:
Friday, January 27:
Consumer Voice's Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, Robyn Grant, is quoted in The New Old Age blog post.
Last Week's Most Popular Tweet:
Monday, January 23:
New York Times article, "Trump's Health Plan Would Convert Medicaid to Block Grants, Aide Says"
Long-Term Care Resources & News
Read past issues of The Voice here.
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