June 20, 2017
It's National Call-In Day to Save Our Healthcare!
Today is a national call-in day to save our health care as we know it. Call your Senator today!
- Call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224‐3121. If you can’t get through when you call, please keep trying. The switchboard is going to be extremely busy!
- Follow the prompts. Press “1” to indicate you want to speak with your Senator, then say your state and press “1”to indicate that the state is correct. Finally, press “1” to connect to your first Senator’s office.
- A staff person or machine will answer the phone. You can leave the message below. Try to personalize the message if possible.
"Hello, my name is (name). I am a constituent of Senator (name) from (hometown). I am calling to urge Senator NAME to vote against the American Health Care Act. The bill would result in devasting cuts to Medicaid. Medicaid is the only way most people can pay for long-term care, but these cuts would mean those in need of services and supports wouldn't get them.
Please tell Senator NAME to say "NO" to Medicaid cuts and caps and protect the care of all those needing long-term care in NAME OF YOUR STATE and the country."
4. Repeat to call your second Senator and leave the same message.
Plus, Justice in Aging developed a social toolkit with custom state-specific tweets. Participate on social media and use the stats when calling your Senator.
Your advocacy matters!
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Lance Allen Robertson To Be Nominated as Assistant Secretary for Aging
President Donald J. Trump has announced his intent to nominate several individuals to key Administration posts including Lance Allen Robertson as Assistant Secretary for Aging in the Department of Health and Human Services. Mr. Robertson served as Oklahoma’s Director of Aging Services for the past decade, overseeing a range of programs that included the Older Americans Act and a large 1915c Medicaid waiver. He was an administrator at Oklahoma State University for twelve years, where he co-founded the Gerontology Institute and directed a regional professional association, PartnerShips for Aging. He is a past president of the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) and has served on numerous boards and commissions.
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Materials Available from CMS on New Survey Process
Materials providing more information on the long-term care survey process and new nursing home regulations are available on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) website. The requirements for participation were revised, and revisions became effective November 28, 2016. Survey protocols and interpretive guidelines clarify the intent of the regulations. Materials provided on CMS' website provide an overview of the final rule and frequently asked questions. A new slide deck and speaker notes are available on the new long-term care survey process.
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Resources to Equip Your Staff, Volunteers and Consumers
The time is now to get the best possible discount on the Consumer Voice Annual Conference! Attended by ombudsmen and consumer advocates, residents, family members, attorneys, policy experts, and more - don't miss this important event!
- Plenary and workshop sessions address the latest issues affecting long-term care consumers
- Hear from key federal and state experts about important policy initiatives and best practices
- Network with your peers from around the country
Register now and get $45 off the regular registration rate! For additional discounts, apply for a group discount!
For more information and to register for the conference, click here.
Plus, visit the Consumer Voice's Online Store for a range of great products and resources including our Residents' Rights Month materials!
Remember, Consumer Voice members get a special conference rate and 10% off our online store. Join or renew your membership here.
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Questionnaire on Ombudsman Program Advocacy and Activities Regarding Abuse in LTC Facilities
NORC is seeking information from Ombudsman programs regarding their state and local advocacy, activities, innovative practices, training, and resources regarding abuse, neglect, and exploitation in long-term care facilities.
NORC would appreciate any information you can share in this brief questionnaire. Send examples of resources or questions/comments to ombudcenter@theconsumervoice.org. Please respond by Thursday, June 29.
NORC will not share individual responses or contact information without permission.
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New Scorecard Rates States' LTSS Readiness
A new scorecard rates a states' long-term services and supports readiness. The Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) State Scorecard provides data to benchmark state performance, measure progress, and identify areas for improvement. The theme of this year's report from the AARP Public Policy Institute is Picking Up the Pace of Change. Washington State ranked No. 1 on the scorecard. For more information, watch the briefing on the report and the video on the latest Scorecard.
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Spotlight on 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:
Protecting Medicaid - This issue page from Consumer Voice covers how the Medicaid program plays a critical role in providing long-term services and supports.
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In this Issue
It's National Call-In Day to Save Our Healthcare
Lance Allen Robertson To Be Nominated as Assistant Secretary for Aging
Materials Available from CMS on New Survey Process
Resources to Equip Your Staff, Volunteers and Consumers
Questionnaire on Ombudsman Program Advocacy and Activities Regarding Abuse in LTC Facilities
New Scorecard Rates States' LTSS Readiness
Spotlight on Resources
Combined Federal Campaign
#10552
Thank you for your support!
CMS Needs to Hear From You - Submit Comments by June 26
As you may know, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is requesting comments on several items. These items include:
- Modification or elimination of three (3) parts of the revised federal nursing home regulations
- Changes to Medicare reimbursement for skilled nursing facilities
- Ideas for changes to eliminate unnecessary burdens for providers and patients.
Find more information about how to submit your comments here.
Registration is Now Open!
Consumer Voice 41st Annual Conference
November 5-8, 2017
Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel
Arlington, Virginia
Calendar of Events
June: Pride Month
Wednesday, June 28: A Deeper Dive into the Revised Federal Nursing Home Regulations: Taking Another Look at Key Sections, 2:00pm ET, Webinar from Consumer Voice, Justice in Aging and Center for Medicare Advocacy
Wednesday, June 28: HCBS Quality Framework Development, 2:00pm ET, Webinar from the Administration on Community Living
Tuesday, July 11: Legal Basics: Supported Decision-Making, 2:00pm ET, Webinar from Justice in Aging
November 5-8, 2017: Consumer Voice 41st Annual Conference, Arlington, VA
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Thursday, June 15:
Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
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Thursday, June 15:
It's estimated that 1 in 10 elders experience some form of abuse or neglect.
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