Washington, D.C. – The American Health Care Association (AHCA) today unveiled its 2025 policy priorities, “The Better Way," encouraging the Trump Administration and Congress to work with nursing homes to protect access to care and prepare for a growing elderly population. With more Americans living longer and requiring long term care (LTC), AHCA is advocating for bold solutions that ensure quality care, a stable workforce, sustainable reimbursement, and a more effective regulatory system.
“There is a better way forward where we not only sustain the high-quality care that our nation's seniors deserve, but grow and transform it to meet the evolving demands of an aging population,"
said Clif Porter, president and CEO of AHCA. “Our 2025 policy priorities are proactive solutions that put residents and their caregivers first – without unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles that stifle progress and risk limiting access to care. These policies ensure residents are the center of all policy discussions, and quality is at the core of every solution. We stand ready to work with policymakers to protect access to care and continue delivering for America's aging population."
AHCA's The Better Way 2025 key policy priorities and solutions include:
Priority #1: Strengthening the Long Term Care Workforce - Building a pipeline of new caregivers by addressing faculty shortages at nursing schools and streamlining legal pathways for international caregivers to work in the United States.
- Supporting staff recruitment and retention efforts by offering incentives to licensed health care professionals to work in LTC as well as subsidies and grants to schools whose graduates work in LTC.
- Helping LTC professionals develop their skills and advance their careers by offering grants and scholarships for ongoing training and expanding career ladder programs.
- Removing barriers that exacerbate staffing shortages by repealing the federal staffing mandate.
Priority #2: Protecting Medicaid - Protecting and defending Medicaid from cuts.
- A federal requirement that Medicaid rates are brought up to equal the cost of care and regularly updated to keep pace with increasing costs.
Priority #3: Reaffirming The Promise Of Medicare Advantage- Putting the power to determine the course of care in the hands of medical professionals and patients, rather than AI or insurers.
- Enhancing Medicare Advantage transparency and the rating system, so seniors can make informed decisions.
- Fostering market competition, so seniors have options to select the best plan.
- Encouraging insurers to work with providers to improve outcomes and reduce costs through shared savings programs.
Priority #4: Rationalizing the Regulatory Environment- Updating the Five-Star Rating System to provide more complete and useful information to consumers.
- Expanding risk-based surveys nationwide to reduce survey backlog, recognize higher-quality facilities, and incentivize more facilities to qualify.
- Improving access to the Civil Monetary Penalty Reinvestment Program to increase use of funds on quality improvement initiatives and allow them to be used for workforce programs and technology investments to enhance care.
- Strengthening the Special Focus Facility Program to help poor-performing facilities get better and out of the program.
See AHCA's The Better Way policy priorities
HERE.