Friends,
Today kicked off the first day of the 444th legislative session of the Maryland General Assembly. The 2022 session promises to be yet another historic and unprecedented session.
The Health Facilities Association of Maryland (HFAM) is proud to be a valued, credible, and sought-after voice for the long-term and post-acute care community that provides quality care to Marylanders in need.
Along with our colleagues at the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), we deeply appreciate the critical role that our members play in our advocacy efforts. It is more important than ever that our sector is united, driven, and proactive as we work to advance our priorities.
In our long fight against COVID-19, we also value our collaborative partnership with the Maryland Hospital Association (MHA), the Maryland State Medical Society (MedChi), the Lifespan Network, and LeadingAge Maryland.
Many of the issues we advocated for and fought against over these last two years will continue to evolve as new policy proposals are advanced. While the General Assembly is expected to take on many big issues this session such as the budget, redistricting, workforce development, paid family leave, cannabis initiatives, liability, and housing matters, we do expect to see many COVID-19 related bills as the state continues to fight against the pandemic.
The budget is, as always, at the top of our priority list. We are incredibly grateful for federal and state emergency funds that skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers have received to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Any Medicaid rate increases over recent years have also been critically important and genuinely appreciated. These funds and rate increases have helped in our ability to continue caring for Marylanders in need who would otherwise receive care in a hospital at a much higher cost, and thus, have been imperative to Maryland’s Total Cost of Care contract.
In all of healthcare, and especially in our sector, the biggest challenge remains to be workforce related issues. We have long been working behind the scenes to find actionable solutions to remove barriers to entry, keep people on the job, and make sure providers have adequate resources to support their workforce. Related, census is a priority – even in this time of surge, our sector has beds available. We and our partners want to fill these beds. Yet, we are struggling to find enough workers to staff them. We will push forward in a smart way and with diligence on these fronts.
This session presents an opportunity to collaborate with legislators, make progress, and find solutions that help providers, their teams, and the people that they serve. That said, we have identified several priority issues we will be advocating for this session:
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Medicaid Rate: Unfortunately, the pandemic, our continuing fight against COVID-19, historically high workforce costs, and skyrocketing operational expenses have left Maryland nursing homes severely underfunded. Given that nursing homes rely on the government to set Medicaid and Medicaid reimbursement rates, they cannot simply increase prices to cover increased costs. Therefore, we are continuously working to support and grow the Medicaid rate for nursing homes and other Medicaid providers.
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Licensed Nursing Home Administrators: Maryland’s Licensed Nursing Home Administrator (LNHA) program is among the most conservative LNHA licensing programs in the country. We have long been working together to establish innovative proposals that provide the opportunity for new and experienced nursing home administrators in Maryland while maintaining a high level of quality care.
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Agency Staffing Price Gouging: Amid ongoing workforce challenges, direct care staffing agencies are charging exorbitant prices to long-term care facilities that need workers in Maryland and across the nation. Services, including healthcare staffing services, are not included in the current Maryland anti-price gouging statute. Together, we are working to change that.
It is also of utmost importance that we find a way for Temporary Nursing Assistants (TNAs) who have been working during the pandemic to keep working and providing quality care to Marylanders in need. Together with our members and partners, we will work on regulatory solutions that enable TNAs who served on the front lines against COVID to remain in the workplace beyond the end of the federal emergency.
Additional challenges and opportunities around rates, regulation, financing, workforce, and policy reforms will be ongoing – especially as we navigate beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Going forward, we must remain actively engaged to ensure continued funding for quality care and push for reforms that help our members, residents and patients, our teams, and our communities.
And remember, we can’t do this without your help! Your contributions are incredibly valuable to our efforts. Should you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at jdemattos@hfam.org or Hope Morris at hmorris@hfam.org.
