State Advocacy Initiative
Coinciding with the opening of state legislative sessions, AMDA's
new state legislative affairs program, the State Advocacy Initiative,
was launched earlier this month with a letter from AMDA President
Dennis Stone, MD, MBA, CMD, to all state chapter presidents and state
contacts. The purpose of the program is to assist chapters in educating
legislators and regulators in their states by tracking emerging issues
and serving as a resource for state legislative and regulatory
proposals and existing laws. The program also will provide tips and
suggestions to help chapters take advantage of their state's
legislative and advocacy resources.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures' recently
completed 2001 State Health Priorities Survey, health care issues will
generate the largest number of bills in state legislatures this year.
Many state legislatures will move to address pharmaceutical benefits
and long term care, two leading expenses for state budgets.
Each chapter was asked to appoint a liaison for this program. AMDA
will provide the liaisons with regular reports on state legislation
affecting long term care, periodic analysis of state trends, and some
case-by-case legislative searches.
If you have not appointed a State Advocacy Initiative Liaison for
your state, please do so as soon as possible so you can begin to
receive legislative updates and news. If you have any questions, please
call Meg LaPorte at 410/740–9743, ext. 120 or send e–mail to meglaporte@amda.com.
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