Take Action:
Contact Your Legislators
An essential element of health care reform is ensuring that vulnerable populations have access to coverage that meets their care needs. Therefore, any health care reform proposals put forward must include coverage for long term services and supports.
Congressional committees are drafting health care reform legislation, and we expect to see their proposals soon.
On June 10, 2009, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) unveiled its health care reform bill, the Affordable Health Choices Act. Included in the bill is the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act, a provision that would establish a national insurance trust to help fund long-term services and supports. Much like the Long-Term Care Solution, the trust would provide a cash benefit to help the elderly and persons with disabilities pay for the services and supports they need. This approach provides great choice and allows individuals to remain in their community.
On the House side, three committees are also working on a version of health care reform. We are awaiting a finalized proposal.
Please Contact Congress and tell your legislators that long-term services and supports must be a part of health care reform legislation. Your senators and representatives need to hear and heed this message now. It's up to you to let them know you care and are watching their actions.
Fourth of July: Celebrate Choice and Independence
The Fourth of July is all about independence. And that includes the independence we deserve from a system that makes providing long-term service and support fragmented, difficult and expensive.
This July Fourth, join your peers nationwide in the fight to ensure long-term services and supports are included in health care reform legislation. How? By hosting a "Declaration of Choice and Independence” celebration.
At these events, we want you, your residents, clients, staff, volunteers and board members to show support for this cause by signing a “Declaration of Choice and Independence” to be delivered to your federal legislators. Let us know your plans and if you'd like us to help with the delivery.
This guide makes it easy to host a successful event from start to finish. It includes everything from decorating ideas to a sample press release.
Become a Long-Term Care Solution Ambassador
What can you do to help us make it affordable to care? Become an AAHSA Long-Term Care Solution Ambassador.
Nearly 140 ambassadors are giving presentations to community organizations, meeting with their legislators and writing letters to the editor with one goal: to transform how our country pays for long-term care.
AAHSA offers ambassadors the training and support they need to create change in their communities and beyond. To learn more, please contact Doug Pace at (202) 508-9454.
Tell Us Your Long-Term Care Financing Story
Studies and statistics are important, but the stories behind them are even more powerful. They transform numbers into names and facts into faces. And these stories are the secret to making it affordable to care.
Right now, AAHSA is collecting stories about people’s challenges with the current long-term care financing system. We’ll be sharing them with the people who need to hear them: legislators, members of the media and community leaders. Please click here to share your story. Or, contact Sarah Mashburn at (202) 508-9492.
