ADVOCACY CORRESPONDENCE & COMMENTS
COMMENTS & STATEMENTS
- June 3, 2022
Comments to CMS on its Request For Information on Establishing Mandatory Minimum Staffing Requirements at SNFs
Lutheran Services in America submitted comments urging CMS to reconsider establishing mandatory minimum staffing requirements at SNFs in order to protect access to care for older adults.
- March 30, 2022
Statement for the Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing entitled “An Economy That Cares: The Importance of Home-Based Care.”
Lutheran Services in America-Disability Network urged the Committee to provide long-term funding to help expand access to home and community-based services and address the direct care workforce crisis.
- November 11, 2021
Statement from Lutheran Services in America Urging Support for Equitable Access to High-Quality, Affordable Health Care
Urging Congress and the Administration to safeguard in federal law protections for underserved populations throughout America.
- June 17, 2021
Statement from Lutheran Services in America Affirming Support for Equitable Access to High-Quality, Affordable Health Care
Following the decision by the Supreme Court to dismiss a challenge to the Affordable Care Act, Lutheran Services in America released the following statement from Charlotte Haberaecker.
- June 25, 2020
Comments to the Department of Health and Human Services on Oklahoma's Medicaid waiver proposal
Urging the Department not to approve the harmful proposal, which includes per capita caps and work requirements, among other detrimental elements. **UPDATE: On August 11, following a successful state ballot..
- June 9, 2020
Statement for Senate Finance Committee hearing on Unemployment Insurance
Urging the Committee to help implement an increase in the federal unemployment insurance reimbursement for self-funded nonprofits to 100% of costs.
- May 15, 2020
Small Business Administration comments on the "interim final rule" for the Paycheck Protection Program
Comments on the rule proposed by the Small Business Administration as an "interim final rule" for the Paycheck Protection Program. Lutheran Services in America urged the SBA to make a number of changes to this rule.
- January 27, 2020
Medicaid Supplemental Payments and Provider Taxes Comments
Comments on the rule proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that would change guidelines for Medicaid supplemental payments and provider taxes. Lutheran Services in America urged CMS to reconsider this rule change.
- January 27, 2020
Social Security Administration Comments on the Frequency and Notice of Continuing Disability Reviews
Comments on a proposed rule by the Social Security Administration that would change the classification system used for, and the frequency of, continuing disability reviews for individuals receiving Social Security benefits. Lutheran Services in America has recommended that SSA rescind the proposed rule.
- November 25, 2019
Proposed SNAP Rule Comments
Comments on the Department of Agriculture’s proposed rule, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Standardization of State Heating and Cooling Standard Utility Allowances. Lutheran Services in America urged the agency not to implement this rule that will take away food assistance from vulnerable Americans.
Letters
- March 22, 2022
Letter to President Biden commending his support for home and community-based services in the State of the Union Address.
Lutheran Services in America-Disability Network joined a coalition of disability and aging organizations to thank President Biden for highlighting the need to expand home and community-based services in the State..
- March 17, 2022
Letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure
Lutheran Services in America-Disability Network joined a coalition of disability and aging organizations to urge the Administration to provide at least 120 days advance notice when it intends to lift..
- March 3, 2022
Letters to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator on the Agency's New SNF Initiative
Letters to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator on the Agency’s New SNF Initiative Lutheran Services in America CEO Charlotte Haberaecker sent a letter to Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. In..
- February 4, 2022
Letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Lutheran Services in America-Disability Network joined a coalition of disability organizations to urge Congress to permanently adopt the changes to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax..
- January 22, 2022
Letter to White House staff requesting assistance with anticompetitive practices in direct care staffing agencies
Lutheran Services in America joined with other national nonprofits to urge the White House to help address direct care temporary staffing agencies charging supercompetitive prices during the public health emergency.
- January 18, 2022
Letters to President Biden, Leader Schumer, and Speaker Pelosi, urging their support for the Employee Retention Tax Credit Reinstatement Act (H.R. 6161)
Lutheran Services in America joined with other national nonprofits to urge key leaders to support legislation restoring the Employee Retention Tax Credit for all of 2021.
- October 14, 2021
Letters to President Biden, Leader Schumer, and Speaker Pelosi, urging their support for workforce and service provisions in reconciliation bill
Lutheran Services in America CEO Charlotte Haberaecker today sent letters to key leaders, urging their support of provisions in the reconciliation package which would help address the health and human..
- September 22, 2021
Letter to key Congressional committee leaders urging support for programs benefitting foster families and youth
Lutheran Services in America joined with other national nonprofits to ask these Committee leaders to extend three key provisions from the Supporting Foster Youth and Families During the Pandemic Act.
- August 17, 2021
Letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken regarding Immigrant Visa Prioritization
Lutheran Services in America joined with other national nonprofits to ask State Department to amend the Immigrant Visa Prioritization update and prioritize the entry of foreign-trained nurses and health care workers..
- August 6, 2021
Letter to Secretary of Labor Martin Walsh on Nonprofit Sector Employment and Wage Data
Lutheran Services in America joined with other national nonprofits to ask the Department of Labor to address critical gaps in data and evidence on nonprofit sector employment and wages by directing..
- August 13, 2021
Letter to top Congressional leaders urging them to fully fund home and community-based services (HCBS) at the proposed $400 billion level in the budget reconciliation package.
Lutheran Services in America joined with other national nonprofits on behalf of the disability and aging communities to ask Congress to include in the upcoming budget reconciliation bill $400 billion to..
- July 21, 2021
Letter to President Biden and top Congressional leaders urging support for key priorities for nonprofit organizations in upcoming reconciliation bill
Lutheran Services in America joined with other national nonprofits to ask the Administration and Congress to include in the upcoming budget reconciliation bill urgently needed provisions for nonprofit organizations.
- January 21, 2021
Letter to President Biden urging him to re-establish a robust White House faith-based office
Lutheran Services in America joined with other faith-based organizations to ask the incoming Administration to re-establish this office which was not active during the Trump Administration.
- January 22, 2021
Letter to President Biden and top Congressional leaders urging support for key COVID relief priorities for nonprofit organizations
Lutheran Services in America joined with other national nonprofits to ask the incoming Administration and Congress to include in forthcoming COVID legislation urgently needed relief for nonprofit organizations.
Endorsed Legislation
- May 4, 2021
Direct CARE Opportunity Act
Invests over $1 billion in training strategies to recruit, retain and advance the direct care workforce pipeline. Introduced by Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Susie Lee (D-NV), and Susan Wild (D-PA).
- July 28, 2021
Recognizing the Role of Direct Support Professionals
Revises the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ classification system to more accurately categorize Direct Support Professionals and ensure better data on the workforce. Introduced by Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY), Rep. John Katko, (R-NY), Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).
- April 5, 2021
Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment
Phases out the use of 14(c) subminimum wage certificates for people with disabilities over a six-year period. Provides grants and resources to create competitive integrated employment service delivery models. Introduced by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), and Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT).
- April 28, 2021
CONNECT for Health Act
Expands coverage of telehealth services, make COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent and make it easier for patients to safely connect with their doctors Introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MI), Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA), and Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ).
- July 14, 2021
Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act
Invests over $1 billion in supporting the direct care workforce and family caregivers for initiatives to build, retain, train, and promote the direct care workforce, and provides grants for states or other eligible entities for educational and training support for both paid and unpaid family caregivers. Introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA).
ADVOCACY CORRESPONDENCE & COMMENTS
Communications with Members
March 16, 2022
Join Us to Urge CMS to Reconsider SNF Initiative, Including Minimum Staffing Requirements
Join us to send a message to your lawmakers and CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure: we are very concerned that the proposals regarding minimum staffing requirements and punitive enforcement for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) will exacerbate the current workforce crisis nonprofit long-term care providers face and lead to additional nursing home closures and fewer older Americans being able to access the care they need.
February 7, 2022
Act Now to Help Your Employees Access the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
The federal government recently created two new opportunities for nonprofit employees to request full forgiveness of their direct federal student loans. The time investment for nonprofit employers to support people in these requests is minimal and can be a powerful tool to show support for qualifying employees.
LETTERS
March 3, 2022
Letters to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator on the Agency's New SNF Initiative
Lutheran Services in America CEO Charlotte Haberaecker sent a letter to Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. In it, she expressed our concerns that the proposals regarding minimum staffing requirements and punitive enforcement for SNFs will exacerbate the current crisis our members face and lead to additional nursing home closures and fewer older Americans being able to access the care they need, and asking that as CMS embarks on this work that the views and experiences of our network be included in the research study being planned in the coming year that will inform the proposed rules around minimum staffing.
January 22, 2022
Letter to White House staff requesting assistance with anticompetitive practices in direct care staffing agencies
Lutheran Services in America joined with other national nonprofits to urge the White House to help address direct care temporary staffing agencies charging supercompetitive prices during the public health emergency.
COMMENTS & STATEMENTS
June 17, 2021
Statement from Lutheran Services in America Affirming Support for Equitable Access to High-Quality, Affordable Health Care
Following the decision by the Supreme Court to dismiss a challenge to the Affordable Care Act, Lutheran Services in America released the following statement from Charlotte Haberaecker.
November 11, 2020
Statement from Lutheran Services in America Urging Support for Equitable Access to High-Quality, Affordable Health Care
Urging Congress and the Administration to safeguard in federal law protections for underserved populations throughout America.
