Take Action!
If you care about the lives and well-being of people receiving long-term care at home, in assisted living or in nursing homes, you can help them by taking action. The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care presents a number of opportunities to make your voice heard throughout the year. Keep checking this page for new calls to action. Thank you for your support and interest!
Current Action Alerts
Better Care Through Better Wages - By February 27, 12pm ET
TAKE ACTION NOW - CLICK HERE!
The Department of Labor has proposed a rule to extend minimum wage and overtime to home care workers.
Increasing wages for home care workers is an important step toward improving the quality of the job. Improving the quality of the job makes workers' lives better, increases job satisfaction, reduces stress and improves morale - which means better care for consumers.
Presidential Candidate Questionnaire Regarding Long-Term Services and Supports - Ongoing
DOWNLOAD QUESTIONNAIRE HERE!
SEND LETTER TO THE EDITOR HERE!
Do the candidates care about long-term care?
Letter to Member of Congress: Reauthorize the Older Americans Act (OAA) - Ongoing
TAKE ACTION NOW - CLICK HERE!
The OAA is supposed to be reauthorized in 2011. With every day that passes, the future of critical programs that serve seniors is more and more uncertain. Help us send a message to Congress about this important program.
Consider Becoming a Volunteer Ombudsman in your area - Ongoing
Go to http://www.ltcombudsman.org/about-ombudsmen/becoming-a-volunteer-ombudsman for more information.
Past Action Alerts
These actions are no longer active.
Group Sign-On Letter on Long-Term Care Pharmacist Conflict of Interest
The Consumer Voice sent local, state and national organizations in our network a sign-on letter supporting CMS’s proposal to issue regulations to end the practice of consultant pharmacists being affiliated with long-term care pharmacies or pharmaceutical companies, which has been associated with inappropriate prescribing and illegal marketing of antipsychotic drugs in some nursing homes. If you are a group or agency, please sign on now!
Send Your Comments to CMS about Long-Term Care Pharmacist Conflict of Interest
One approach to ending overmedication of residents is to end the practice of consultant pharmacists being affiliated with long-term care pharmacies or pharmaceutical companies, which has been associated with inappropriate prescribing and illegal marketing of antipsychotic drugs in some nursing homes. You can play a role by supporting the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) proposal to issue regulations on this issue. It is easy to send a message and we'll help you.
Attend or Watch the Senate Special Committee on Aging Hearing, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2 p.m. ET
Advocates in the Washington, DC, area are encouraged to attend the hearing, “Overprescribed: The Human and Taxpayers’ Costs of Antipsychotics in Nursing Homes," in Room 562 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Others can watch the webcast.
The Consumer Voice's 2011 public policy resolutions on over-prescribing in nursing homes will be included in Senate testimony by Toby Edelman, an attorney with the Center for Medicare Advocacy and member of the Consumer Voice Leadership Council (Support a Federal Requirement for Long-Term Care Pharmacist Independence from Conflict of Interest & Request the Department of Health and Human Services to Address the Misuse of Antipsychotic Drugs in Nursing Homes).
Rally: Don't Cut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security!
Thursday, November 17, 10am-11am
Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 608
(Corner of Constitution and First St., NE)
Group Sign On Letter to Super Committee: Don't Ask Consumers to Carry Unfair Burden (November 9, 2011)
The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care and the undersigned organizations urge you to reduce the federal deficit in a fair and balanced way that does not take away essential services from those who depend upon them - often for their most basic needs in life.
Letter to Member of Congress (Constituents of SuperCommittee Members Only): Preserve Access to Quality Long-Term Care
I hope Congress will not reduce the deficit by taking essential services away from people who need them and depend on them, rather than asking large corporations and wealthy individuals who can afford it to share the burden.
Letter to Member of Congress: Tell Your Representative to Vote NO! on Boehner Budget Cuts
The Boehner bill would cut $1.2 trillion in federal funding for discretionary programs over the next decade—setting the stage for huge cuts to the long-term care ombudsman program, nursing home regulation, home and community-based services, nursing home transparency, and other programs that are vital to people who need long-term care. Congress would have to find an additional $1.8 trillion in cuts by the end of the year—threatening to reduce Social Security and Medicare benefits to current retirees and decimate Medicaid programs that benefit the elderly, persons with disabilities, and low-income children and parents.
Statement of Support: Save the CLASS Act!
I strongly support the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program. I urge you to allow CLASS to continue moving forward and not include its repeal in any deficit reduction legislation.
Statement of Support: Save Medicaid!
I support the Consumer Voice in opposing Medicaid cuts and other changes that would harm people needing long-term care and undermine quality nursing home standards.
