New York’s regular legislative session has come to a close, and ALFA’s state chapter, NY ALFA, has worked tirelessly to ensure that New York’s legislature creates a positive environment for senior living. During the regular session, NY ALFA supported legislation was successfully addressed. The Paperwork Reduction Bill (S.4894/A.7494,) which allows nurse practitioners and physician assistants to complete the medical exam and report required upon admission to an assisted living residence or an adult care community, passed both houses and is awaiting the governor’s signature. The bill also lessened communities’ paperwork burden, by authorizing the use of shorter forms when a resident returns home after a hospital or nursing home stay.

The passage of the Missing Vulnerable Adults Clearinghouse Bill was also a significant achievement. This bill creates an emergency response system, similar to Amber Alert, to assist in quickly identifying, locating, and returning to safety individuals with Alzheimer’s disease who have become lost. This bill is similar to the federal Silver Alert Act (H.R. 112) advocated for at ALFA’s Advocacy Fly-In last February and is bound to save countless lives.

The regular session wrapped up June 30th, but many critical health care issues will continue to be discussed through the post session meetings of the Medicaid Redesign Team, which is tasked with finding ways to save the state’s Medicaid program money. Nine work groups have been established, including two specifically relevant to senior living: the Managed Long Term Care Implementation and Waiver Redesign Work Group and the Affordable Housing Work Group. NY ALFA will be meeting with the Governor’s Director of Health Care Redesign and the Medicaid Director to help ensure these work groups are educated on the senior living philosophy of care. NY ALFA will also be meeting with the Department of Health to develop a viable solution for addressing the backlog of pending licensure applications.

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