Wanted: Home Care Folks Who Know Elected Officials

HCLA is looking for anyone working in home care who is willing to build closer relationships with our elected officials in the Louisiana Legislature, and in Congress. The HomeCare Association of Louisiana has focused almost all of its advocacy efforts on Congressional issues over the past years and will continue efforts to impact Medicare. Over the coming years, the Affordable Care Act will be moving dollars to the states to expand home and community care through Medicaid. This will result in more programs, and better rates, for care at home through state governments.

HCLA’s new Legislative Education and Advocacy Group (LEAG) will identify members of our home care community who recognize the importance of connecting with our government officials. We have a database with the names and districts of all members of the Louisiana House and Senate committees that have jurisdiction over healthcare legislation. We’ll connect you with those legislators and if necessary guide you with an introduction to the legislative process. We’ll work together with the Legislative Education and Advocacy Group to assure we are all one message when we are pushing legislation and assure we all have consistency and continuity in our talking points.

We’ll be working together with HCLA lobbyist Kevin Hayes, an attorney with Adams and Reese, to pull this together in the coming months. Davelynn Melito, of Family Home Care of Metairie and HCLA Vice President, will act as the Board representative to champion this project.

If you know state legislators or Congressmen, please notify us at the HCLA office so we can add your connection to our LEAG database. If you are interested in participating, or interested in learning about the legislative process and want to connect via this HCLA LEAG project, please contact us at HCLA. Lastly we’ll be identifying captains from different regions of the state who will help assure we have ‘boots on the ground’ across Louisiana. If you are interested in being the primary contact in your area of the state let us know so we can get you connected.

Contact HCLA by email or call 800-283-4252.

The new federal healthcare legislation will change care at home and in the community. Even with changes in Congress this fall we should all expect Louisiana’s approach to care at home and in the community will require a more concerted effort in the legislature. We hope you’ll join us and be a part of our HCLA ‘LEAG’ efforts in Baton Rouge and Washington, DC.