Argentum launched a new “Standing with Seniors” website last week, designed to empower seniors, families, caregivers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders with accessible and actionable information to support informed decision-making, and policies to improve the lives of seniors.

The resource hub provides key data points available on a national, state, and Congressional-district level, including the number of communities, residents in assisted living, independent living, and memory care, the Medicare spending comparison between assisted living and skilled nursing, current and projected population over age 65, and more!

Additional resources available on Standing With Seniors include:

Argentum issued the following press release in response to yesterday's announcement by HHS and HRSA on the Phase 4 Provider Relief Fund allocations.

Argentum Calls Out Biden Administration for Indefensibly Low COVID Relief Payments for Senior Living Caregivers

One day after HHS/HRSA said it is releasing $9 billion in Provider Relief Funds, a closer look at the methodology used to determine payments for assisted living providers is severely lacking.

Later this week, HHS and HRSA are expected to begin distributing approximately $9 billion from the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) to eligible health care providers. These funds are part of the $17 billion allocated in Phase 4 of the PRF, which was made possible in part due to Argentum's  advocacy efforts to save the PRF from a near-certain elimination and then to release the funds to providers.

As part of Argentum's ongoing "Don't Leave Assisted Living Behind, Again" campaign, this week we began circulating a petition that we will share with the Biden Administration, demonstrating the broad grassroots support for prioritizing relief and support to senior living providers.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) began distributing the $7.5 billion in rural relief from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) today, and indicated that they anticipate making payments from Phase 4 of the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) in December and continue through January 2022.

The House of Representatives voted 220-213 this morning to pass H.R. 5376, the Build Back Better Act (reconciliation/human infrastructure). The bill will next be considered by the Senate, where it is expected to undergo significant revisions to garner the support of all 50 Democratic senators needed for passage, which would then be sent back to the House to consider the revised bill.

After passing the bipartisan infrastructure package late last Friday and sending to President Biden for his consideration, the House signaled that it plans to pass its version of the Build Back Better act (reconciliation/human infrastructure) potentially as soon as the week of November 15.

As part of the Don’t Leave Assisted Living Behind, Again campaign, Argentum sent a follow-up letter to President Biden yesterday, reiterating the concerns of senior living providers and calling on the administration to prioritize the Phase 4 provider relief methodology for assisted living, along with our requests for vaccine/testing support and inclusion in the Build Back Better plan.

Argentum sent a letter yesterday to President Biden relaying the urgent needs of senior living providers, and formally kicked off its latest campaign, “Don’t Leave Assisted Living Behind, Again.” This effort calls attention to the continued disparities in relief and support that has been made available to senior living, and the need to rectify it moving forward, including with the Phase 4 PRF payments.

Earlier this morning, HHS announced they would be releasing $25.5 billion in provider relief, to include $17 billion in Phase 4 Provider Relief Fund (PRF) allocations and $8.5 billion in funding specifically from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) dedicated to rural health providers. We have confirmed that assisted living facilities are included in the definition of “provider” for phase 4 relief, but we are continuing to seek clarification on the specific distribution criteria. Argentum has been calling on the Biden administration for months to release additional funds and to ensure funds are targeted and equitable for senior living providers. We greatly appreciate your engagement in our “Release the PRF” campaign over the past several weeks that has helped apply pressure to the administration on the needs of providers.