The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee voted 26-2 on Thursday to approve its Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Importantly, the Senate version of the appropriations bill does not include the drastic cuts that were advanced earlier this month by the House Appropriations Committee.

Argentum spearheaded a grassroots campaign urging both House and Senate lawmakers not to move forward with the cuts to workforce development programs, which includes eliminating Job Corps funding and otherwise cutting nearly 30% of funding for critical workforce programs. We sincerely appreciate everyone who took part in our grassroots campaign!

Additionally, the Senate bill's report language includes:

• The Committee encourages the Department [of Labor], in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to study the effects of worker shortages in the direct care sector and the impact that worker shortages will have on long-term care affordability and accessibility, and long-term care programs and submit a report to the Committees on Appropriations not later than 270 days after enactment.
• The Committee provides $48,245,000 for the Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program. This program supports training to integrate geriatrics into primary care delivery and develops academic primary care community based partnerships to address gaps in healthcare for older adults.
• The Committee expects CMS to strengthen and expand access to HCBS, facilitate State planning, encourage innovative models that benefit the workforce and care recipients, and support quality and accountability.
• The Committee directs ACL [Administration for Community Living], in coordination with DOL and CMS, to examine data on the potential impacts of worker shortages on long-term care affordability and accessibility.

While we are encouraged by the Senate’s actions to preserve workforce funding, the process is far from over. Lawmakers are preparing to leave for their annual August recess, and will return following the Labor Day holiday to resume negotiations on appropriations. Current FY spending is due to expire on September 30, at which point Congress must either pass their appropriations bills or a continuing resolution to fund the government until a broader spending agreement can be reached.

Argentum will continue its outreach to lawmakers who sit on the Congressional appropriations committees to protect against any cuts and to urge inclusion of our priorities. These include: funding through the Employment and Training Administration for grants to support the expansion of the direct care workforce; Job Corps direct care workforce apprenticeship programs; and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) workforce development grants.

On Monday, U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) visited Merrill Gardens at West Chester, located in her southeastern Pennsylvania Congressional district.

Rep. Houlahan's visit included a townhall forum with several residents, and offered an opportunity to discuss affordability issues, particularly for residents in memory care. They also discussed workforce issues, including barriers of transportation and child card, and constraints in Pennsylvania with regulations regarding education requirements for direct care workers. Rep. Houlahan was also asked for support of the Veterans assisted living pilot program, the forthcoming SENIOR Act, and the 21st Century Long-term Care Caucus.

Lawmakers are preparing to embark on a five week recess, meeting with constituents and holding community events back in their states and districts. We need your help to be part of these discussions and to tell the story of senior living!

Calling all Argentum Advocates: Tomorrow at 2:00 pm ET, Argentum will present its monthly member-exclusive policy briefing. In this session, you will be able to learn more about the progress being made advancing the Veterans assisted living pilot program legislation, rising threats to workforce development programs, our advocacy in opposing new burdensome federal regulations, and other public policy issues facing the industry.

Argentum Advocates are invited to these exclusive sessions to hear directly from Argentum’s federal lobbyists on our current federal and state public policy efforts.

Argentum Advocates Member Briefing
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
2:00 PM ET

Earlier today, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education voted to advance drastic cuts to critical workforce development programs by favorably reporting out of the subcommittee its portion of the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bill. This legislation calls for eliminating Job Corps funding and reducing workforce program funding by nearly 30%, including for essential workforce grants and apprenticeship programs.

Argentum is deeply concerned about these funding cuts as they would impede progress to meet the workforce demands of our industry. 

According to our recently released report (Workforce Projections for Senior Care) there is currently a shortage of more than 400,000 workers, which is projected to grow to more than 20 million workers by 2040. Argentum is working to fill this gap through a federally funded workforce initiative that is on target to recruit thousands of new CNAs, LPNs, RNs, rehab technicians, nursing directors, and executive directors through the DOL’s Healthcare Apprenticeship Expansion Program. If the cuts proposed by House lawmakers go forward, our efforts are jeopardized.

We need your help! We are calling on all Argentum Advocates to join us by sending a letter to Congress urging them to oppose these cuts from moving forward. The annual appropriations process is long and complex, and there are several opportunities to stop this, but we need everyone to join together to get our message heard.

The Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs is holding a legislative hearing this afternoon on 19 pieces of legislation, including S. 495, the Expanding Veterans’ Options for Long Term Care Act. Argentum strongly supports this bill in demonstrating the value of assisted living and providing Veterans a choice in their long-term care.

Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Hearing
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
3:00 pm ET

In prior testimony, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) affirmed its support of the legislation, subject to some technical corrections, noting that, "VA supports the protections this bill would include to ensure that Veterans are protected and receiving safe and appropriate care." Additionally, prior testimony by Dr. Erica Scavella, MD, Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Clinical Services at the VA noted, “VA generally agrees that specific authority, particularly in the form of a pilot program, to furnish assisted living services would be a helpful addition to VA’s options for long-term care. VA has encountered difficulties in appropriately placing Veterans who may only require assisted living services because these Veterans do not qualify for nursing home care.”

U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL) visited Bowman Estates of Danville, a Gardant Management Solutions affordable assisted living community in Danville, Illinois.

Rep. Kelly had the opportunity to tour the community and talk with residents. They discussed the benefits of the Illinois Supportive Living program; the challenges of operating assisted living communities, especially staffing, the impact of inflation; and unrealistic rules being proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid; and our support of legislation designed to expand veterans long-term care options.

Congresswoman Kelly represents the Eastern Illinois based 2nd District, and is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, including the Health subcommittee.

Last week, U.S. Representatives Tom Cole (R-OK) and Stephanie Bice (R-OK) visited communities in their respective Oklahoma City-based districts.

Representative Cole, who serves as Chairman of the House Rules Committee and Vice Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, visited Legend at Rivendell, a Legend Senior Living community located in southern Oklahoma City. During his visit, he met with residents and staff, including a resident who ran against him in an election for Congress many years ago! Congressman Cole was able to discuss his priorities, including efforts to secure funding for Alzheimer’s related initiatives, for which he has been a longtime champion.

Argentum submitted a comment letter last Monday in response to a proposed rule issued in May by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), intended to increase transparency and accountability, standardize data and monitoring, and create opportunities for states to promote active beneficiary engagement to improve access to care, including in home and community-based services (HCBS) programs.

We recommended that CMS withdraw the proposed rule and instead work with stakeholders to identify other approaches, particularly by addressing the inadequacy of state Medicaid reimbursement rates for assisted living and similar residential communities participating in HCBS programs.

Last week, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA) had an opportunity to visit Windsong of Sonoma, an Integral Senior Living community in his district.

The visit featured a townhall with residents and staff and occurred during the community's monthly staff recognition meeting, where he was able to present certificates to staff with 15+ years at Windsong. Representative Huffman, a member of the House 21st Century Long Term Care Caucus, discussed his legislative priorities relating to prescription drug prices and health care for Veterans, and participated in a question and answer session.

Lawmakers are currently on a recess for the July 4 holiday, meeting with constituents and holding community events back in their states and districts. We need your help to be part of these discussions and to tell the story of senior living!

Calling all Argentum Advocates: Today at 2:00 pm ET, Argentum will present its monthly member-exclusive policy briefing. In this session, you will be able to learn more about the recent Congressional hearings on the Veterans assisted living pilot program legislation and our other policy priorities, along with an update on recent regulations affecting the industry. We will also share more information on how to get involved in our advocacy efforts as Congress prepares for its annual August recess.

Argentum Advocates are invited to these exclusive sessions to hear directly from Argentum’s federal lobbyists on our current federal and state public policy efforts.

Argentum Advocates Member Briefing
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
2:00 PM ET