Legislative Advocacy FAQs

NAHC members belong to the leading voice for home care and hospice before Congress, the White House, and government agencies. Since 1982, NAHC has played an active role in educating elected representatives about the importance of home care and hospice and in molding legislation. NAHC's legislative staff is on the inside track with respect to activities in the Congress, providing the association's members with the latest breaking changes affecting home care and hospice.

NAHC's premiere lobbying staff works tirelessly to ensure that the membership's legislative goals are met. NAHC has earned the respect of key leadership and committee members of both parties in the House and Senate. NAHC also works in coalition with consumer and other provider organizations on issues of mutual concern.

NAHC has multiplied its "punch" by enlisting the help of individual members and state associations in its legislative and educational efforts. As a result, Congressional understanding of the roles of home care and hospice has increased and numerous victories for home care and hospice have been achieved.

Throughout the year, NAHC's legislative staff accumulates issues and suggestions from NAHC members for the next year's legislative agenda. The staff uses these suggestions to develop NAHC's Legislative Blueprint for Action. The Blueprint is presented to the NAHC membership at the spring National Policy Conference in Washington, DC.

Here are some examples of the questions NAHC legislative staff receive from members:

• Who is my member of Congress? What is his/her position on home care and hospice issues? On what committees does he/she serve? How might he/she be helpful in the association's lobbying efforts?
  
  
• I want my Member of Congress/Senator to go on a home care visit; what do I need to know to make this happen? How can my agency use a Member of Congress' visit to the greatest advantage for the cause of home care and hospice?
  
  
• What legislation is pending that will affect my agency's operations in coming months and years? What is the prognosis for its passage? What can I do to help?
  
  
• What home care and hospice provisions are in the most recently passed Medicare bill?
  
  
• I'm planning my agency's budget for the next year. What recent legislative or regulatory actions might affect this process?