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Govt. Affairs

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Photo by Michael Schofield on Unsplash

The While House issued a press release announcing that the Access Final Rule will be released later today. These regulations include:

  • The Nursing Home Minimum Staffing Rule, which will require all nursing homes that receive federal funding through Medicare and Medicaid to have 3.48 hours per resident per day of total staffing, including a defined number from both registered nurses (0.55 hours per resident per day) and nurse aides (2.45 per resident per day);
  • Introducing the requirements of the rule in phases to make sure nursing homes have the time they need to hire staff, with longer timeframes for rural communities;
  • Ensuring adequate compensation for home care workers for HCBS operations of in-home care (both Personal Assistance Services and Community Habilitation) by “requiring that at least 80 percent of Medicaid payments for home care services go to workers’ wages. This policy would also allow states to take into account the unique experiences that small home care providers and providers in rural areas face while ensuring their employees receive their fair share of Medicaid payments and continued training as well as the delivery of quality care;”
  • The state requirement to be more transparent in how much they pay for home care services and how they set those rates, increasing the accountability for home care providers; and
  • The creation of a state home care rate-setting advisory group made up of beneficiaries, home care workers, and other key stakeholders to advise and consult on provider payment rates and direct compensation for direct care workers.

We will continue to monitor the details of these regulations and Pennsylvania’s plans to comply. If you have any questions, please contact Fady Sahhar.

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Join RCPA for an afternoon of golf on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. The event will be held in support of the RCPA PAC and take place at a new location this year — the Colonial Golf & Tennis Club in Harrisburg, PA. Lunch will be at 11:30 am, with a shotgun start at 1:00 pm. Register to attend today!

We hope you will consider becoming a sponsor in support of this fundraiser. Sponsorship will allow your company to receive name recognition. We hope we can count on our support for this event.

Not a golfer but would still like to support the RCPA PAC? For your convenience, you can now make a personal online contribution, which will provide financial support to state legislators or representatives who have demonstrated a strong, consistent, and positive interest in our legislative priorities. If you are interested in learning more about the RCPA PAC or donating, please visit our website or email Jack Phillips, Director of Government Affairs.

We look forward to seeing you on the golf course!

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RCPA hosted our 2024 Capitol Day today, March 19 inside the Main Rotunda. The rally focused on workforce issues within health and human services as well as budget items addressed in Shapiro’s 2024/25 budget. You can view our 2024 legislative and administrative priorities here.

RCPA President and CEO Richard Edley addressed the crowd, highlighting the continued need for funding, training, and assistance for those working in various areas of health and human services.

Other organizations came to support our cause as well as to advocate for themselves, their families, and their loved ones. Sherri Landis, Executive Director of The Arc of PA, spoke to the audience, while RCPA member Step by Step, Inc. showed up dressed in orange, ready to stand and offer their support!

Legislators also took to the stand to speak about the ongoing crises occurring in health and human services. Representative Stephen Kinsey and Representative Doyle Heffley, Co-Chairs for the House Human Services Committee, conveyed their support, as did Representative Dan Miller, Representative Frank Farry, and Senator Art Haywood, Co-Chair for the Senate Health & Human Services Committee.

RCPA thanks everyone, from legislators and their staff to advocates representing their friends and families, for coming out and supporting our efforts today. We appreciate and admire the work you do for our communities and will continue to serve on your behalf!

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Advocate for yourselves and others by meeting with legislators directly! Take the opportunity to join RCPA as we hold our annual Capitol Day this year on Tuesday, March 19. We will hold a press conference in the Main Rotunda between 10:30 am – 11:30 am, which will tentatively include speakers such as:

  • Representative Dan Miller;
  • Representative Stephen Kinsey;
  • Representative Doyle Heffley;
  • Senator Art Haywood; and
  • Senator Frank Farry.

You can register for our Capitol Day press conference by contacting Allison Brognia directly. Please let us know if additional staff or colleagues within your organization are planning to attend Capitol Day with you. RCPA requests that members schedule appointments with their Senate and House legislators directly to discuss the state budget, legislation, and regulations after our press conference.

We ask that you please use RCPA’s legislative priorities one-pager during your legislative visits. As an additional resource, members can visit the Pennsylvania Capitol website to locate parking and view maps of the building. If you have questions regarding our 2024 Capitol Day, please contact Jack Phillips.

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RCPA is proud to announce that we will be hosting our annual Capitol Day on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. We will hold a press conference in the Main Rotunda between 10:30 am – 11:30 am, which will tentatively include speakers such as:

  • Representative Dan Miller;
  • Representative Stephen Kinsey;
  • Representative Doyle Heffley;
  • Senator Art Haywood; and
  • Senator Frank Farry.

You can register for our Capitol Day press conference here. If additional staff or colleagues within your organization are planning to attend Capitol Day with you, please email Christine Tartaglione with the number of anticipated attendees. RCPA requests that members schedule appointments with their Senate and House legislators directly to discuss the state budget, legislation, and regulations after our press conference.

We ask that you monitor your emails for updates regarding Capitol Day, as RCPA will be sending out legislative priorities and other policy documents for use during legislative visits in the near future. As an additional resource, members can visit the Pennsylvania Capitol website to locate parking and view maps of the building. If you have questions regarding our 2024 Capitol Day, please contact Jack Phillips.

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The following comes from WFMJ:

Shapiro’s proposal would boost spending on home and community services for the intellectually disabled and autistic by about $200 million, or 12% more.

That’s about half the amount that advocates say is needed to fix a system beset by staffing shortages, low pay and a thousands-long waiting list.

Still, advocates applauded it.

“It’s the first large systemic effort at addressing this issue,” said Richard Edley of the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association. ”This isn’t going to fix it, but at least it’s major step toward addressing it.”

Read the full article here.

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