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NCAL accomplishments for the Second Quarter
NCAL Accomplishments
Second Quarter 2007
PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY
* Following through on a pledge to NCAL, Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith (R) introduced the bipartisan S. 1107 in April. The legislation would eliminate Medicare Part D co-pays for dual eligibles residing in assisted living and other types of residential care facilities.
* NCAL’s advocacy and lobbying efforts resulted in more senators signing onto S. 1107, bringing the total number of co-sponsors to 10 during the quarter.
* NCAL submitted statements urging Congress to pass legislation addressing the Medicare Part D co-pay issue at several congressional committee hearings, including those held by the House Ways and Means Committee health subcommittee, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, and Senate Special Committee on Aging.
* NCAL’s policy and lobbying departments worked to obtain introduction of a companion bill to S. 1107 in the House of Representatives. NCAL coordinated political action committee activities to support introduction of Part D Co-pay bill. NCAL also identified champions in Congress.
* NCAL/AHCA member Gail Clarkson testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on Medicare Part D and stressed the need for Congress to act on the co-pay issue.
* NCAL organized a coalition of 36 national organizations representing a broad range of interests to sign onto a letter that was sent to Sen. Smith in support of the passage of Medicare Part D co-pay legislation.
* NCAL members and staff promoted Part D co-pay and Medicaid financing legislation during the 2007 AHCA/NCAL Congressional Briefing. NCAL staff and NCAL members provided congressional staff with background material on assisted living and educated them about NCAL’s legislative objectives.
* NCAL continued working to elevate its presence among Washington, D.C. policymakers in a variety of ways. NCAL lobbied members of Congress on veterans care issues. NCAL staff attended congressional fundraising events and participated in policy discussions held by groups including the Long Term Care Discussion Group, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Alliance for Health Reform. These meetings are attended by congressional and executive branch staff and as well as a variety of organizations with an interest in long term care issues. NCAL also met with senior Senate Finance Committee staff as part of its participation in a coalition working on Medicaid issues.
* NCAL’s Board of Directors once again achieved 100 percent participation in AHCA PAC. A campaign was organized and executed asking Board members to reach out to NCAL State Leaders through letters and phone calls urging them all to contribute to the PAC.
* NCAL identified key members of Congress for PAC campaign contributions and began identifying association members and state affiliate staff to cultivate relationships with these members of Congress and their staffs.
* NCAL worked with Congressional staff to help shape a variety of proposed bills that would affect the assisted living profession and residents if passed. Bills cover a range of issues such as pharmacy services available to assisted living residents under Medicare Part D, a pilot program to fund assisted living services for veterans with traumatic brain injuries, a national clearinghouse to help reduce falls among the elderly, and a grant program to fund the retrofitting of assisted living facilities needing to upgrade fire safety systems including sprinklers.
* NCAL submitted formal comments to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality about a study to prevent falls in assisted living. NCAL’s letter recommended wider data collection to reflect more accurate findings on a national basis. NCAL also recommended elimination of the term “prevent” because prevention implies a fall would never occur again in a facility after the study’s evidence-based protocols were implemented.
* NCAL worked with Rep. Michael Arcuri’s (D-NY) staff to re-draft legislation to include assisted living. Rep. Arcuri’s bill would establish grants for retrofitting assisted living facilities with fire safety equipment, including sprinklers. NCAL also sent a letter to Rep. Arcuri thanking him for introducing the legislation.
* NCAL participated in a meeting convened by the American Institute of Architects, the organization responsible for issuing building and design guidelines for health care facilities. This meeting launches a multi-year process to begin updating its design guidelines book.
* NCAL joined with AHCA to develop long term care Medicaid reform principles, and post acute care and long term care reform proposals, to meet the needs of an aging population.
* NCAL increased its participation in the National Fire Protection Association by actively participating in the NFPA’s annual meeting.
* NCAL staff met with Veterans Administration (VA) officials in May to establish a relationship and begin educating members about the availability of VA Aid & Attendance (A&A) benefits. A&A benefits can provide certain veterans who served in war time as well as surviving spouses and dependents funds to pay for assisted living. NCAL Focus published an article in June about how an NCAL member provider is helping veteran residents and surviving spouses apply for the benefit. The article was used by the Center for Excellence in Assisted Living’s Advisory Council to explain the benefit to other assisted living stakeholders.
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES
* NCAL staff actively participated in the Center for Excellence in Assisted Living meetings and projects. Shelley Sabo of NCAL’s staff was appointed to head CEAL’s Advisory Committee.
* NCAL developed “Guiding Principles for Quality in Assisted Living” and “Guiding Principles for Providing Information to Consumers.” Both documents were approved by the Board.
* NCAL’s Quality Committee and the NCAL Board voted to support the Alzheimer’s Association’s practice guidelines on end-of-life care for residents with dementia. The guidelines will be released in late summer.
* NCAL obtained the Consumer Consortium for Assisted Living participating with NCAL’s Consumer Relations Committee to work on Resident and Family Council guidance.
* NCAL continued to educate members through NCALconnections and Focus about Fair Labor Standards Act compliance and the Equal Employment Opportunity Act.
MEMBER SERVICES
* NCAL developed and published the 2007 National Assisted Living Week (NALW) Planning Guide and Product Catalog. The catalog was mailed to members of NCAL and promoted on the NALW Web site and NCAL’s Web site. “Legacies of Love” is the 2007 NALW theme.
* NCAL launched its sales program for National Assisted Living Week products.
* NCAL finalized its agenda for NCAL Day on October 7, 2007. As part of this new event, NCAL added a hands-on technology session that will feature various vendors. In addition, NCAL secured Anthony Cirillo of Fast Forward Consulting to discuss “Turning Customers into Crusaders. NCAL also produced and distributed a flyer promoting NCAL Day.
* NCAL worked with AHCA to devise a user-friendly association Web site and improve Web site content management.
* NCAL held quarterly NCAL State Leader conference calls, monthly calls with state affiliates and monthly calls with NCAL’s Executive Committee.
* NCAL staff delivered presentations at the following NCAL state affiliate conventions: Nebraska; Colorado, Ohio; and, New Jersey.
* NCAL informed the Board and membership through an E-Alert about the Service Employee International Union’s new effort targeting assisted living.
GOVERNANCE
* NCAL initiated its 2007/2008NCAL officers and At-Large Member election process.
* NCAL’s Board approved a plan for membership growth and business development in 2008 and 2009.
* NCAL’s Board approved a motion to propose amendments to the NCAL Bylaws creating a succession process for officers who resign or leave office.
* NCAL membership grew by more than 3,100 beds during this quarter.
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