2019-2020 Public Policy Issues

What You Can Expect

The public policy issues that we address are brought forth by our members. Our public policy committee reviews the issues thoughtfully and then chooses our issues and shapes our strategies. The issues are presented to the LeadingAge board for discussion and approval. Our board and members engage in grassroots advocacy efforts for maximum effectiveness with legislators statewide.

Expect us to focus on fortifying care and services provided by our members. Also expect us to engage even more with the state agencies and to increase our grassroots efforts with even more member engagement in the coming year. We plan to work to fortify affordable housing in 2020. We’ll have on-going communication to keep us all working together and we’ll have more visits with legislators.

On the federal level, expect LeadingAge to work with legislators, regulators and agencies to tackle critical issues like protecting and expanding affordable housing, working with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid as they roll out the new quality initiative and new payment system, promoting long term financing reform to ensure access to quality long-term services and supports, protecting programs that serve as safety nets to older adults as well as funding for programs funded through the Older Americans Act and the Veterans Administration.

Public Policy is important. Your engagement is crucial for providing effective advocacy. Together we can make changes needed to ensure quality of life for individuals as they age.

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LeadingAge Georgia Public Policy Initiatives Summary

LeadingAge Georgia is committed to fortifying our members through public policy efforts on the state and federal level.  We strive to ensure that funding, policies and regulation support the work of our members reflecting the realities of emerging trends and consumer preferences.

Our issues are member driven.  Members are invited to submit advocacy issues for consideration.  On the state level, staff works with members, the public policy committee and our board to develop issues and our issues are presented annually for a vote at our business meeting.  Afterwards, staff, the public policy committee and our lobbyist work with legislators and agencies on behalf of members. We also engage members for grassroots efforts.

On the federal level, LeadingAge National gathers input from members through town-hall meetings and on-going dialogue with state affiliates and members. The national public policy team drafts potential public policy initiatives and these are presented to the national public policy committee and then the board for approval.  LeadingAge national works on behalf of members with Congress and various agencies and engages member for grassroots efforts.  

LeadingAge National has been incredibly effective on behalf of LeadingAge members throughout the coronavirus pandemic.  They secured funding for fortifying members through the CARES Act, the American Rescue Act and other congressional asks.  They’ve been very effective working with the CDC, HHS, HUD and CMS including allowing telehealth and waivers to support home and community based providers.  They have helped members keep up with regulatory changes.  They’ve held daily calls to allow members to learn from other members and to update everyone on the latest policy changes.

LeadingAge Georgia is also working with the State to fortify members through the coronavirus pandemic.  We’ve helped secure a 10% increase in the Medicaid rate for adult day centers, in-home care providers and case managers. We worked with the Georgia Department of Community Health and the Georgia Department of Public Health to allow on-site vaccinations in independent living including affordable housing, assisted living and adult day.  We also worked to allow on-site administration of monoclonal antibodies in nursing homes to decrease deaths from the coronavirus.  We worked to lessen restrictions for visits in order to decrease loneliness of residents.  Our work is still not done.  Our members have had significant financial impact from the pandemic.  We’re working to help ensure that the American Rescue Act funds help support our members.

The member driven public policy issues for the 2019 Georgia General Assembly include:

Legislative Priorities:
Budget Priorities:

Outline of the 2019 policy initiatives that LeadingAge Georgia is engaged in:

Make your voice heard.

The mission of The Legislative Action Center for LeadingAge is to expand the world of possibilities for aging in the United States and communicating with members of Congress about funding and regulatory issues is an important element of that mission.

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