Aging Services of Georgia (formerly Georgia Association of Homes and Services for the Aging- GAHSA) is an association representing a diverse group of not-for-profit and other mission-driven senior care providers with distinct constituent groups: adult day services, home & community-based services, senior retirement housing, assisted living communities, continuing care retirement communities, nursing homes and hospice care.
These providers are committed to advancing the vision of healthy, affordable and ethical long-term care for older Georgians. Because of its broad membership that cuts across multiple areas of long term care, member’s perspectives may at times vary. Association policies and public policy positions, particularly involving controversial issues, will be developed through a thoughtful, open and deliberative process that allows input from all members. All Aging Services of Georgia’s public policy positions and initiatives are designed to assist our members in achieving their central goal of providing high quality care and services in a cost-effective manner. Our public policy positions and initiatives are consistent with the Association’s Guiding Principles for the continuum of aging services as approved by the Board of Directors.
Guiding Legislative Principles for the Continuum of Aging Services
Aging Services of Georgia will use the following principles to address issues on which we have no current position:
1. Seniors have a right to be treated with dignity and respect.
2. Services and programs should be provided to seniors in a manner which is least intrusive, provides empowerment to the extent possible and promotes independence, all balanced with the necessity of protection of seniors not capable of self care or assistance to seniors who have diminished capacity for total self care.
3. While seniors have a right to a safe and nurturing environment and have a right to expect society to provide protection through laws, regulations, and policies which protect seniors’ physical, mental, and spiritual well-being and promote practices to accomplish these goals, government policies should not inhibit providers of care and services to the aging from providing cost-effective, high quality care.
4. Seniors should be able to expect adequate services, whether living in their own homes or elsewhere. In furtherance of this goal government must adequately fund and maintain standards for services to seniors at a level which is economically viable so that providers may maintain high standards and quality of care across a spectrum of services.
5. Public education and sufficient information are necessary so that seniors can be informed decision makers.
6. Seniors and others should have access to preventive, remedial, and long-term health care. Government policies should facilitate the availability of a spectrum of services to aging persons.
7. Health care policies, including managed care and government plans, should not discriminate against health care providers by excluding entire classes or types of providers from their networks, panels, and plans.
2009 Legislative Issues
Position and Involvement:
Achieve necessary Laws and Rules to develop Quality CCRCs and Consumer Protection
-Consumer protection
-Certificate of Need (CON) process (DCH)
-Certificate of Authority (Department of Insurance)
Strengthen the Long-term Care Facility Alzheimer’s/Dementia Services Disclosure Law
Provide strong leadership in Medicaid-related issues for Georgia
(Money Follows the Person, Managed Care for Aged, Blind, & Disabled)
Position and Monitor:
-Create additional level of long-term care
-Monitor Nursing Home Provider tax implementation
-Monitor Implementation of Adult Day Center licensure
Monitor:
-Reorganization of the Department of Human Resources
2009 Budget Issues
Position and Involvement:
Expand/Protect Home and Community-Based Services Medicaid (CCSP) and Non-Medicaid
Protect funding for Human Services Transportation
Monitor
Implementation of Adult Day program Licensure
Other Aging Services of Georgia Advocacy Work
(contact the Association for additional information)
Presented testimony to the Commission on Efficacy for Certificate on Need Rules in Georgia with emphasis on changing CON rules for CCRCs
Strong leadership role in the development and passing of legislation regarding Long Term Care Insurance Partnerships
City of Atlanta water/sewer rate discount for non-profit, low-income senior housing
Worked to eliminate or permanently postpone the implementation of the Medicaid adult medically needy program
Filed Amicus Briefs to support two facilities facing an implementation of ad valorem tax on property exemption for non-profit homes for the aged
Monitored Medicaid estate recovery legislation and encouraging a fair and reasonable process in implementing estate recovery
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