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2022 Legislative Champion Awards

The MHCA Board of Directors recognized two legislative champions at our 2022 Fall Conference. 
Both of these individuals have been unyielding advocates for long term care facilities and our residents.
 
The Legislative Champion awards recognize individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to improving the lives of residents in long term care settings.

  1. Senator Troy Jackson, Senate President, representing District 1 in Aroostook County. Senator Jackson has long been an advocate and champion for long term care and Maine's seniors. For years, he has sponsored legislation to address lagging reimbursement for long term care facilities as well as key legislation to increase wages for direct care workers. Senator Jackson has worked tirelessly with us to address budgetary shortfalls, without which more long term care facilities would have closed, and to ensure that long term care providers were supported during the pandemic through supplemental payments and temporary rate increases. Those achievements would not have been possible without Senator Jackson.  His leadership and steadfast commitment are to be commended. It is for these reasons we are pleased to present Senator Troy Jackson with a 2022 Legislative Champion Award.
 
  1. Senator Jeffrey Timberlake, representing District 22 in Androscoggin County. Senator Timberlake has sponsored key legislation on a myriad of topics to improve access to care for long term care residents. The senator has worked on issues like increasing MaineCare reimbursement and supplemental payments for nursing facilities with high MaineCare utilization, and he introduced legislation on behalf of MHCA to try and classify health insurance as a fixed cost for MaineCare reimbursement. Year after year, Senator Timberlake has kept long term care residents and facilities at the forefront of issues in Augusta. He has delivered budget and pandemic funding for workers that has kept long term care facilities doors open.  Senator Timberlake continues to support initiatives that provide access to quality long term care and we are pleased to present him with a 2022 Legislative Champion Award.