The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, the nation’s largest nonprofit provider of elder care and services, will speak on how the final rule on unfunded federal staffing mandates for long-term care providers threatens access to care for rural seniors. Leaders will meet with elected officials at the 2024 American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) Congressional Briefing, June 3-4 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
The invitation-only Congressional Briefings provide AHCA/NCAL members with the opportunity to interact with elected officials, gain insight into the latest legislative and policy developments, and collaborate with other industry leaders.
Good Samaritan Society President and CEO Nate Schemer, along with AHCA/NCAL CEO Mark Parkinson and other industry representatives, will appear at a press conference at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on Tuesday, June 4 at 9:15 a.m. CST. They will share their perspectives on the current state of the long-term care industry and how federal staffing mandates will impact the communities they serve.
“At Good Samaritan Society, quality care is at the heart of everything we do, but providing quality care isn’t a numbers game,” says Schemah. “We take a team-based approach and determine staffing levels based on caregiver experience, training and the health needs of our residents. In rural America, there are simply not enough caregivers to meet the final minimum staffing requirements announced by the government.”
This year’s briefing will focus on advancing legislative policies that protect access to care for seniors and strengthen the long-term care workforce. The Protecting Access to Care for America’s Elderly Act (S. 3410/HR 7513) would block federal staffing mandates for nursing homes that the Administration recently finalized. New Data According to the , currently only 6% of nursing homes meet all four requirements.
Across the Good Samaritan Association’s jurisdiction, only 5 percent of facilities meet the requirement to have a registered nurse on-site 24 hours a day. The nonprofit must hire an additional 207 registered nurses and about 400 nursing assistants to comply with federal regulations.
“This unrealistic and underfunded mandate will not improve quality; instead, it will force local nursing homes that cannot meet minimum staffing requirements to close, separating our nation’s seniors from their loved ones and the lives they know,” Schemah added. “We remain committed to working with policymakers to find meaningful, commonsense solutions to address the workforce crisis and protect access to care for our nation’s seniors.”
Good Samaritan Society leaders and staff who participated in the briefing included:
- Nate Schemah, President and CEO
- Amy Middleton, Chief Operating Officer
- Tom Syverson, Director of Government Relations
- Laura Saronek, Administrator
- Cathy Green, Administrator
- Chiara Tuscherer, Senior Living Administrator
- Alecia O’Neill, Senior Living Administrator
- Tiffany Zanou, Chief Pharmacy Assistant
- Lisa Andrew, Social Services Coordinator
During the event, AHCA/NCAL will also recognize the 2024 Joe Warner Patient Advocate Award recipients, including Tom Syverson, director of government relations for the Good Samaritan Association. The Joe Warner Patient Advocate Award is presented to an AHCA/NCAL member who has worked to directly educate members of Congress about the needs of long-term and post-acute care patients and promote quality care.
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Published in: Corporate News, Corporate Services & Management, Healthcare Leadership, News, Rural Health, Senior Services
