National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term

Care: 2013 Public Policy Agenda

Goal #1: Advocate for public policies that support quality care and

quality of life responsive to long-term care consumers’ needs.

The Consumer Voice will be a leader: by reducing use of restraints of all

kinds by fighting against inappropriate use of pharmaceuticals, particularly

on residents with dementia.

The Consumer Voice will be a leader: by reducing use of restraints of all

kinds by fighting against the sale and use of bed rail products that result in

consumer deaths through entrapment.

The Consumer Voice will be a leader: in seeking increased staff and

transparency about staffing in nursing homes through support of policies that

advance the 1998 Consumer Voice staffing standards, including requiring

appropriate RN staffing 24/7.

The Consumer Voice will be a leader: in protecting consumers’

constitutional rights by working to eliminate binding mandatory arbitration

clauses in long-term care contracts and opposing proposals that would make

it more difficult for long-term care consumers to seek legal remedies.

Goal #2: To develop, fund, strengthen and preserve programs, laws,

and regulations that provide services for and protect long-term care

consumers.

The Consumer Voice will be a leader: in advocating for reauthorization of

the Older Americans Act, including amendments that preserve and

strengthen elder rights, in particular the long-term care ombudsman

program.

The Consumer Voice will be a leader: in fighting to preserve the Nursing

Home Reform Law of OBRA ‘87 and advancing effective implementation

of all long-term care provisions in the Affordable Care Act (such as the

Nursing Home Transparency Act, Elder Justice Act and Community First

Choice).

The Consumer Voice will be a leader: in preserving and ensuring that

funding is adequate for Older Americans Act, Medicaid and Medicare

programs, transparency and federal and state oversight and enforcement.

Goal #3: To ensure a strong and independent long-term care

ombudsman program.

The Consumer Voice will be a leader: in advocating for reauthorization of

the Older Americans Act, with amendments safeguarding programs from

interference and retaliation and addressing, organizational and individual

conflict of interest, duties and training.

The Consumer Voice will be a leader: in seeking increased funding to

meet the current mandates of the Older Americans Act for the ombudsman

program and for the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource

Center.

The Consumer Voice will be a leader: in seeking regulations and guidance

from the Administration on Aging, as called for by the 1992 Older

Americans Act Amendments, for full and effective implementation of the

Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.

The Consumer Voice will be a leader in: advocating for expansion of the

long-term care ombudsman program into home and community-based

services with adequate funding for full and effective implementation.

Goal #4: To advocate for the establishment and enforcement of

long-term care consumers’ rights.

The Consumer Voice will be a leader: by advocating for a home care bill

of rights, established in federal law.

The Consumer Voice will be a leader: in seeking consumer rights and

protections in all Medicaid and waiver services, as well as Medicaid

managed care programs.