​Clif Porter, senior vice president of government affairs for the American Health Care Association (AHCA), and Julie Simpkins, National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) board member, joined 60 long term and post-acute care leaders at the Indiana Statehouse in March 2023 for the annual Long-Term Care Professionals Day. Hosted by the Indiana Health Care Association (IHCA/INCAL), the event offered an excellent platform for long term care (LTC) leaders to advocate for needed health care reforms that will strengthen the state's workforce and increase access to care for more aged and disabled Hoosiers.

“The pandemic has been very hard on our profession. It is critical that policymakers hear how our ongoing struggles have a direct impact on access to care for our seniors," said Porter. “I'm delighted to see Indiana's LTC leaders come together as a solid force, leverage the momentum and this incredible platform to advocate for better polices on behalf of our residents and staff, and seek stronger support and viable solutions from policymakers," he added.

From left to right: Clif Porter, AHCA/NCAL senior vice president of government affairs; Mike Gerig, administrator at Century Villa Health Care; Daryl Jones, COO of the Integral Group; and Rick Banas, vice president of development and positioning for Gardant Management Solutions

During the event, the IHCA/INCAL hosted numerous legislative events, notably a legislator luncheon that was attended by Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch and many representatives and senators to discuss these pieces of legislation.

Gardant Management Solution, an IHCA/INCAL member with assisted living communities in Indiana and Illinois, catered the lunch for the event. It was a perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on the high-quality meals that our seniors enjoy in Indiana's LTC communities on a daily basis.

IHCA/INCAL President Paul Peaper offered remarks during the day's events, acknowledging the unprecedented challenges that the sector faces as it continues to recover from the pandemic, including the ongoing workforce crisis. He also appreciated the relentless dedication of our LTC leaders to improve quality outcomes for Hoosier seniors.

“Our association is always unwavering in how we approach our advocacy," said Peaper. “We're more successful when our voices are united. This event offered a valuable opportunity for LTC providers from across the state to share their unique stories of triumphs and challenges of our sector, have face-to-face discussions with legislators, build meaningful connections, and most importantly seek their support for legislation that will strategically enhance the delivery of care our providers offer to thousands of Hoosiers. This is one of the most important actions we can take to advocate for a brighter future of our profession."

Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch along with several LTC leaders from Indian​a.

IHCA/INCAL activities focused on supporting House Bill 1461, which is the focal point of the sector's advocacy efforts in Indiana. The bill would correct overburdensome occupational licensure regulations, provide more transparency on Medicaid expenditures, increase access to care for aged and disabled Hoosiers, and enhance the safety and well-being of residents in assisted living communities. The state's biennial budget also includes language that the IHCA/INCAL advocated for, requiring the state's Medicaid program to regularly update Medicaid reimbursement rates for home and community-based providers, such as assisted living, and other health care providers. These providers have not had any type of rate schedule with some provider groups going decades between reimbursement updates.

HB 1461, which is authored by former emergency room surgeon State Representative Brad Barrett (R-Richmond) and is now being sponsored in the Senate by Senators Liz Brown (R-Fort Wayne) and Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso), passed unanimously out of the House of Representatives and has been assigned to the Senate Health and Provider Services Committee for additional deliberation. All bills must pass out of the House and Senate before the General Assembly adjourns for the year on April 27.

Visit IHCA.org/advocacy to learn more about IHCA/INCAL's legislative priorities.

Deeksha Kapoor is director of communications for the Indiana Health Care Association (IHCA) and the Indiana Center for Assisted Living (INCAL). Nick Goodwin is director of government affairs for IHCA/INCAL.

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