Blog
Maine Health Care Association Members Visit Capitol Hill to Advocate for LTC Residents and Staff
- By: Angela Westhoff
- On: 06/09/2022 15:01:26
- In: Legislative/Government Affairs
“We are here on behalf of millions of residents, caregivers, and our communities,” said AHCA/NCAL President & CEO Mark Parkinson. “We must share their stories and make our voices heard on the Hill. This is one of the most important actions we can take to advocate for the future of long term care.”
MHCA representatives that attended the event included:
- Angela Westhoff, MHCA President and CEO
- John Bolduc, MHCA Board Member, NCAL Board Member, and Executive Director of Odd Fellows and Rebekahs' Home
- Jessica Duffy, MHCA Board Member, NCAL State Leader, and Director of Health Services at 75 State Street
MHCA members met with Maine's Congressional delegates including Senator Angus King and Senator Susan Collins as well as staff from Representative Chellie Pingree and Representative Jared Golden offices to discuss several key topics including:
- the profession's struggling economic recovery due to chronic underfunding and the pandemic, resulting in closures across the country;
- a historic labor crisis that is worse than any other health care sector, as providers struggle to recruit and retain caregivers due to burnout and limited resources to compete for workers; and
- the critical safety net that Medicaid provides for vulnerable seniors and individuals with disabilities who need long term care and the need to fully fund the program.
Staff Contact: awesthoff@mehca.org
L to R: Jessica Duffy, Angela Westhoff, Senator Angus King, John Bolduc meet during AHCA/NCAL Congressional Briefing, June 2022.