Medicare Part B helps cover medically necessary and/or preventive outpatient services, including physical, occupational and speech therapy treatment, which can be offered in a SNF.

[6] AHCA supports changes in Medicaid reimbursement that link payments to quality or efficiency and believes reforms should take into account different kinds of providers and the various populations they serve.

AHCA supports making any changes to Medicaid reimbursement gradual to allow for iterative patient and provider input to improve implementation.

[9] In April 2020, Vice President Mike Pence announced that skilled nursing facilities would receive a higher priority for PPE and other resources from the federal government.

Pence announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would soon start sending PPE to every nursing home in the United States.

The group released a “Long Term Care Workforce Roadmap for Governors and States” to help protect caregivers and other staff.

The roadmap asked for improved access to PPE for caregivers and other skilled nursing facility staff, helping workers with childcare and bonus pay, relaxing regulations to bring in additional staff across state lines, and the establishment of “strike teams,” including the National Guard, to assist at facilities with virus outbreaks.

[14] The letter asked for the federal government to extend the COVID-19 public health emergency beyond its expiration date of July 26, 2020 and to keep waivers of Section 1135 and Section 1812(f) of the Social Security Act in place until certain goals, such as developing a vaccine, provision of personal protective equipment in sufficient quantities, and nursing homes reaching pre-pandemic staffing levels, are met.

[14] On August 11, 2020, AHCA/NCAL released a report showing a large increase in COVID-19 infections among nursing home patients due to the spread of the disease in the general population.

On August 13, the association released the results of a survey showing that the majority of nursing homes would not be able to continue operations another year with losses accruing at the current rate.

[15] Following news that the federal COVID-19 pandemic emergency declaration will end in 2023, the AHCA has publicly raised concerns that nursing homes will lose money as a result.

[19] AHCA publishes a weekly email newsletter called Capitol Connection and a separate monthly magazine titled Provider.

[20] Members convene annually in Washington, DC to raise awareness of important issues affecting long-term and post-acute care in addition to meeting with congressional representatives.

Porter, a former nursing home administrator and long-time lobbyist, had been with AHCA for more than 20 years, most recently as senior vice president of government relations.