Texas Health Care Association PAC 2022 Primary Endorsements

Vote to Make a Difference!

Primary Election Day is Tuesday, March 1^st

Statewide Endorsements:

• Governor Greg Abbott (R)
• Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R)

Endorsements for state Senate:

• Sen. Angela Paxton (R-McKinney) SD 8
• Rep. Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound) SD 12
• Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston) SD 15
• Mr. Pete Flores (R-Pleasanton) SD 24
• Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) SD 25

Endorsements for state House of Representatives:

• Rep. Gary VanDeaver (R-New Boston) HD1
• Rep. Cecil Bell Jr. (R-Magnolia) HD 3
• Rep. Cole Hefner (R-Mount Pleasant) HD 5
• Rep. Matt Schaefer (R-Tyler) HD 6
• Rep. Travis Clardy (R – Nacogdoches) HD 11
• Rep. Kyle Kacal (R-College Station) HD 12
• Rep. John Raney (R-Bryan) HD 14
• Rep. Ernest Bailes (R-Shepherd) HD 18
• Rep. Ron Reynolds (D-Missouri City) HD 27
• Rep. Gary Gates (R-Rosenberg) HD 28
• Rep. Ryan Guillen (R-Rio Grande City) HD 31
• Rep. Justin Holland (R-Rockwall) HD 33
• Mr. Jonathan Gracia (D) HD 38
• Rep. Richard Raymond (D-Laredo) HD 42
• Rep. Erin Zwiener (D- Driftwood) HD 45
• Rep. James Talarico (D-Round Rock) HD 50
• Rep. Andrew Murr (R-Junction) HD 53
• Rep. Glenn Rogers (R-Graford) HD 60
• Rep. Reggie Smith (R-Van Alstyne) HD 62
• Rep. Lynn Stucky (R-Denton) HD 64
• Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Plano) HD 67
• Rep. Stan Lambert (R-Abilene) HD 71
• Rep. Mary Gonzalez (D-Clint) HD 75
• Rep. Brooks Landgraf (R- Odessa) HD 81
• Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) HD 83
• Rep. Phil Stephenson (R-Wharton) HD 85
• Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian) HD 88
• Rep. Stephanie Klick (R-Fort Worth) HD 91
• Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake) HD 98
• Rep. Rhetta Bowers (D-Rowlett) HD 113
• Rep. Steve Allison (R-San Antonio) HD 121
• Rep. Ray Lopez (D-San Antonio) HD 125
• Rep. Alma Allen (D-Houston) HD 131
• Rep. Harold Dutton Jr. (D-Houston) HD 142

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                                         CONTACT: Cara Gustafson

September 14, 2021                                                                                                                              (561) 797-8267

 

Texas Nursing Home Associations Ask the Legislature to Address Critical Workforce Shortage 
The profession has struggled with staffing shortages for years, made worse by the 
COVID-19 pandemic.

Austin, Texas – Texas Health Care Association (THCA) and LeadingAge Texas are urging the Texas Legislature to address the staffing crisis in nursing homes during the third special session. The direct-care workforce has been at critical shortage levels made worse by the pandemic. In a recent member survey, 70% of long-term care facilities cited that they are unable to hire enough nurses and over 30% have restricted new admissions due to staffing shortages.

“Since the beginning, COVID-19 has disproportionately affected long-term care residents as well as the frontline staff who care for them,” said Kevin Warren, President and CEO of THCA. “The ongoing fight against COVID-19 and now the Delta variant has continued to make it difficult for nursing homes to attract staff to the profession and retain them due to a hyper-competitive labor market for direct-care staff.”

THCA and LeadingAge Texas are voicing support for solutions that would help address short-term and long-term staffing shortages by drawing on American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds allocated to Texas. In total, Texas has received approximately $16.7 billion to respond to the COVID-19 emergency, which Governor Abbott directed the Legislature to allocate during the third special session beginning September 20. THCA and LeadingAge Texas are asking for 400 million, or less than 3% of the state’s total funds, to support efforts to recruit and retain more staff so older Texans continue to have access to care in over 1,200 Texas nursing homes.

THCA and LeadingAge Texas proposal to the Texas Legislature to support the nursing home workforce would direct funding to:

1. Address current recruiting and hiring needs through sign-on bonuses, overtime pay, use of direct care agency staffing support, and employing a designated, facility-based position of infection prevention specialists.
2. Improve staff retention programs to include frontline staff bonus and hero pay.
3. Support student loan repayment assistance programs for nurses working in long-term care and the training and testing costs for temporary nurse aides to become Certified Nurse Aides (CNAs).
4. Implement LVN to RN Bridge Programs that allow Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) to use their previous experience and educational backgrounds to attend “bridge” or transition courses to complete the Associate Degree Nursing curriculum in an accelerated process.

Many nursing homes in Texas have seen monthly costs increase by two to three-fold and quickly outspend the support provided through federal public health emergency funding which is set to expire at the end of the year. Unfortunately, the effects of COVID-19 are far from over, and these facilities need ongoing support to hire and train skilled staff.

“By creating career paths to attract Texans to enter long-term health care and providing nursing homes with the necessary resources to pay them livable wages, we can build a workforce to secure the future of our field and ensure seniors are taken care of in their later years,” said George Linial, President and CEO of LeadingAge Texas.

For questions about the proposed plan or to set up an interview, please reach out to Cara Gustafson at (561) 797-8267 or cara@publicblueprint.com.

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About THCA
Founded in 1950, the Texas Health Care Association (THCA) is the largest long-term care association in Texas. THCA’s membership is comprised of several hundred licensed nonprofit and for-profit skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), specialized rehabilitation facilities and assisted living facilities in Texas. These facilities provide comprehensive, around-the-clock nursing care for chronically ill or short-term residents of all ages, along with rehabilitative and specialized medical programs. To learn more, visit http://txhca.org/ or connect with THCA on Facebook or Twitter.

About LeadingAge Texas
LeadingAge Texas was established in 1959 as a Texas not-for-profit corporation to provide leadership, advocacy, and education for not-for-profit retirement housing and nursing home communities that serve the needs of Texas retirees. As a trade association representing the full continuum of mission-driven, not-for-profit aging services providers, LeadingAge Texas is committed to assisting its members in providing the highest quality of services possible to the residents they serve.

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Governor Abbott Adds Support for Nursing Homes to Special Session Agenda 
Allocating federal dollars would help ensure Texas long-term care facilities can afford necessary health and safety measures as they continue battling COVID-19

AUSTIN – On Wednesday, Governor Abbott announced the second special session date and included on the agenda “supporting the operations of nursing homes, state supported living centers, assisted living facilities, and long-term care facilities” through federal relief appropriations.

“We are very pleased to see that the Governor is prioritizing nursing homes, assisted living and other long-term care facilities regarding the allocation of federal funding through the American Rescue Plan (ARP). Much like the CARES Act State and Local Coronavirus Funding, the ARP dollars may be used to support urgent COVID-19 response efforts to continue to decrease the spread of the virus and bring the pandemic under control,” said Kevin Warren, President and CEO of the Texas Health Care Association.

Allocating a portion of these federal dollars to nursing homes will continue their efforts to adapt new health and safety measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, recruit and retain much-needed staff, upgrade facilities, and increase education and training for frontline caregivers to help prepare against future pandemics.

“COVID-19 continues to cause mounting financial challenges for long-term care facilities due to a lower census and significant staffing challenges, combined with increased expenses and overall costs of food, supplies, and personal protective equipment,” said Warren. “These federal dollars will go a long way to supporting the already underfunded long-term health care profession, and we thank the Governor for prioritizing our most vulnerable Texans in the second special session,” continued Warren.

In May, a statewide poll of Texans conducted by the American Health Care Association found that 87% of those surveyed say funding long-term care for Texas seniors is an important or top priority and 80% said that ensuring adequate funding for low-income seniors in nursing homes is as important as other top priorities like transportation, water, and education.

To learn more about long-term care funding or to schedule an interview, please reach out to Cara Gustafson at (561) 797-8267 or cara@publicblueprint.com.

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For Immediate Release

CONTACT: Cara Gustafson
(561) 797-8267

Texas Long-Term Care Facilities Receive National Recognition
Nursing homes recognized for improving quality of care despite COVID-19 and chronic state underfunding

AUSTIN – Five Texas long-term care facilities have earned national recognition for their commitment and dedication to improving the quality of care for their residents and patients in long-term care from the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) National Quality Award Program.

Advanced Rehab & Healthcare of Vernon (Vernon, TX) has been awarded the 2021 Silver Award, while Chisholm Trail Nursing & Rehab (Lockhart, TX), Forum Parkway Health & Rehabilitation (Bedford, TX), Kruse Village Senior Living Community (Brenham, TX), and the Heights of Gonzales (Gonzales, TX) have been awarded 2021 Bronze Awards.

“We congratulate the facilities and their dedicated staffs in achieving this special recognition despite the decades-long state funding challenges alongside a fierce, months-long battle against COVID-19,” said Kevin Warren, President and CEO of the Texas Health Care Association. “Funding from the state for Texas nursing homes is among the lowest in the nation, and that dynamic continues to fuel a staffing crisis that complicates the delivery of care that our most vulnerable Texans deserve,” Warren continued.

“Texas nursing homes continue to do more with less, but we look forward to continuing our conversations with the Texas Legislature about how to adequately fund and look after our vulnerable Texans for decades to come,” concluded Warren.

Based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, the AHCA/NCAL’s National Quality Award Program challenges member providers to achieve performance excellence through three progressive levels — bronze, silver, and gold.

Providers begin the quality improvement process at the bronze level, where they develop an organizational profile with fundamental performance elements such as vision and mission statements, and key strengths and challenges. Bronze applicants must also demonstrate their ability to implement a performance improvement system. Trained examiners review each application to determine if the center has met the demands of the criteria. At the silver level, members develop and demonstrate effective approaches that help improve organizational performance and health care outcomes.

Recipients of the 2021 Silver Award may now apply for the Gold – Excellence in Quality Award by further developing comprehensive strategies that meet the demands of the full Health Care Criteria for Performance Excellence. AHCA/NCAL will announce the 2021 Gold — Excellence in Quality award recipients in the coming months. The National Quality Award Program is sponsored by AHCA/NCAL associate business members: HealthCap, NRC Health, Matrix Care and Prevail.

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Derek Prince Re-Elected to American Health Care Association Board of Governors CEO of HMG Healthcare will continue to serve in this prestigious capacity   AUSTIN, TEXAS — Yesterday, October 7th, Derek Prince was re-elected to the American Health Care Association (AHCA) Board of Governors. In 2018, he became the first Texan in over two decades to be elected to this position. “As a board member of AHCA, I will focus on fixing the decades-long workforce shortage and funding shortfalls in Texas long-term health care, and find solutions to the strains put on nursing homes during the COVID-19 battle,” said Prince. Prince, who began his career 25 years ago, has extensive experience in the long-term health care realm. He now serves as President and CEO of Woodlands-based HMG Healthcare. HMG Healthcare operates 30 post-acute care facilities in Texas and Kansas. “I know firsthand what amazing heroes the staff that care for our most frail and elderly Texans are and I will continue to fight for them and the residents they care for day in and day out,” continued Prince. Prince, who serves on the Texas Health Care Association (THCA) Board of Directors, earned his Master’s in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University after earning a Bachelor of Science in Applied Gerontology with an emphasis on Long Term Care Administration. “We are extremely grateful for all the work Derek has done as a Board Director at THCA and we are confident he will continue to represent Texas well in this capacity and beyond,” said Kevin Warren, President and CEO of the Texas Health Care Association. “He is a servant leader, truly dedicated to improving long-term health care for staff, residents, and the families that entrust facilities to take care of their loved ones.” ### About THCA Founded in 1950, the Texas Health Care Association (THCA) is the largest long term care association in Texas. THCA’s membership is comprised of several hundred licensed nonprofit and for-profit skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), specialized rehabilitation facilities and assisted living facilities in Texas. These facilities provide comprehensive, around-the-clock nursing care for chronically ill or short-term residents of all ages, along with rehabilitative and specialized medical programs. THCA also represents more than 190 long term care businesses that provide products and services to the more than 3,200 nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the state. To learn more, visit http://txhca.org/ or connect with THCA on Facebook or Twitter. Copyright © 2020 Texas Health Care Association. All rights reserved.

For Immediate Release                            August 7, 2020

CONTACT: Elliott Griffin (512) 970-9944

AUSTIN, TEXAS – Late yesterday afternoon, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) announced new guidance on visitation in nursing and long-term care facilities. This marks an important new chapter in the COVID-19 pandemic, as visitors have not been allowed in these facilities since the initial restrictions began in mid-March. “These families and residents are more than deserving of these new guidelines that allow for limited visitation,” said Kevin Warren, President and CEO of Texas Health Care Association (THCA). “Many of us could not fathom the kind of prolonged separation from our own loved ones that they have endured, and I am glad that we have finally began to tackle this in Texas like other states.” Conditions for limited visitation at nursing facilities require no confirmed COVID-19 cases in staff in the last fourteen days, no active positive cases in residents, and for facility staff to be tested for COVID-19 weekly. “While we are encouraged by yesterday’s announcement, families have already begun to ask about visiting, but many questions about the testing requirements and additional conditions remain unclear to begin scheduling those visits,” continued Warren. “Testing has been an ongoing challenge. Whether its administration costs, access, or delays in receiving results, there have been myriad of challenges in implementing a predictable and reliable testing protocol for long-term care. We look forward to working with HHSC and state leaders on this component.” It must also be noted that while the federal government is providing some testing support, it has initially focused on facilities with confirmed positive cases of COVID-19. As these visitation guidelines are laid out, a facility, rightly, must have no active cases so is therefore not eligible for assistance with testing from the federal government. “If we are finally acknowledging the need for safe visitation to begin, then it is essential that we have a commitment to a long-term solution for adequate and rapid testing in our facilities,” concluded Warren. To schedule an interview with Kevin Warren, please reach out to Elliott Griffin at the information listed above. ### About THCA Founded in 1950, the Texas Health Care Association (THCA) is the largest long term care association in Texas. THCA’s membership is comprised of several hundred licensed nonprofit and for-profit skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), specialized rehabilitation facilities and assisted living facilities in Texas. These facilities provide comprehensive, around-the-clock nursing care for chronically ill or short-term residents of all ages, along with rehabilitative and specialized medical programs. THCA also represents more than 190 long term care businesses that provide products and services to the more than 3,200 nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the state. To learn more, visit http://txhca.org/ or connect with THCA on Facebook or Twitter. Copyright © 2020 Texas Health Care Association. All rights reserved.

AUSTIN, TEXAS – Texas Health Care Association (THCA) is pleased to announce the signing of an agreement with CoreCare, a single sign-on portal for long term care facilities working with managed care organizations. THCA Members, through the CoreCare product, will have the ability to address long standing issues with managing the multiple managed care portals at a discounted rate. “The need for a single portal solution in Medicaid Managed Care has been a long standing priority for long term care facilities in Texas.  The added costs, inefficiencies in processes and impact on cash flow due to Medicaid Managed Care in Texas has been in the millions,” said Kevin Warren, President and CEO of Texas Health Care Association (THCA). “Being able to partner with an organization like CoreCare to allow nursing facilities to redirect vital resources to front line patient care is an exciting opportunity.” The agreement between THCA and CoreCare will provide THCA membership a 10% discount on their purchase of the CoreCare platform. ” Our CoreAccess Portal aggregates and standardizes all MCO data into one place, making it easier to prepare, submit, reconcile and reconsider reimbursements with Managed Care Organizations,” said Mehrdad Shafaie, CoFounder & President of CoreCare. “My partners and I are excited about the opportunity to apply our data management backgrounds and years of experience in developing financial technology solutions to a health care profession seeking a new pathway forward.” As noted in their Vision statement, “CoreCare is integrating all financial data communication between the provider and MCOs – creating a Single Access Portal to view all information and take action for healthcare providers.” “If we are finally going to address the issues of claims reconciliation, growing accounts receivables and the administrative costs resulting from Medicaid Managed Care, then we can longer wait for state agency or managed care organizations to develop a solution for the profession,” concluded Warren. For additional information about how to schedule a demonstration and learn more about CoreCare, please reach out to Deseray Matteson at the information listed above. ### Copyright © 2020 Texas Health Care Association. All rights reserved.

 

 

For Immediate Release                                                                    CONTACT: Cara Gustafson

May 12, 2020                                                                                                        (561) 797-8267                              

Texas Health Care Association Responds to Governor Abbott’s Directive to Test 100% of Nursing Home Facility Staff and Residents
Testing essential but major needs in fight against COVID-19 remain unmet

AUSTIN, TEXAS – This morning, May 12, 2020, Kevin Warren, President and CEO of the Texas Health Care Association (THCA), issued the following statement on the directive issued late yesterday afternoon by Governor Greg Abbott calling for the testing of every resident and staff in Texas nursing homes:

“THCA is extremely pleased that our tireless workforce and the residents in their care are finally receiving priority testing. The population in our facilities are most at-risk to the worst impacts of COVID-19 and their staff are at personal risk as well.

While testing will be essential for our fight against COVID-19, we have to ensure we have the necessary resources to prepare for what those results may bring.

We have seen that with expanded testing, we have to be prepared for a higher number of cases and facilities identified. As a result, this expansion will be additional burden and pressure on the challenges of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) access and on a staffing shortage that is already of significant concern.

Additionally, we ask the Legislative Budget Board to approve the request for relief funding submitted by the Health and Human Services Commission in April so that the much needed resources are available. The financial assistance is desperately needed to offset the costs of increased expenses such as PPE, direct care staffing and other increased costs that were occurring even before statewide testing was announced.

It is clear that long-term care facilities across Texas are at ground-zero in the fight against this virus. And while this announcement is a positive step forward, without access to increased need for PPE and the much needed financial assistance to address the staffing shortages that challenge our profession, we will not be prepared for what comes next.

We are committed to being a part of the solution to defeat COVID-19 as we stand ready to do our part to see Texas reopen its economy. We want to see families and visitors back in facilities and experience the joy on the faces of families, residents, and staff once again. But when we’re through this, we also want to be able to look back and say we did everything we could and everything that needed to be done to fight against COVID-19 in our facilities and treat it like the public health crisis that it is.”

For Immediate Release                                                                    CONTACT: Kevin Warren

March 12, 2020                                                                                                        (512) 458-1257                             

Texas Health Care Association Provides Update on Protections of Long Term Health Care Facilities Against COVID-19 Spread in Texas

AUSTIN, TEXAS – Today, March 12th, 2020, the Texas Health Care Association (THCA) gave an update on their response efforts to COVID-19 and the threat it poses to long-term health care facilities. THCA released the following statement:

“THCA’s top priority right now is preventing COVID-19 from getting into long-term care facilities and stopping it from spreading if it does. THCA is coordinating efforts across the state to protect the most vulnerable to the impact of this virus – our elderly residents,” said Kevin Warren, President and CEO of THCA. “We are all still learning about COVID-19, but we do know that the frail and elderly are especially susceptible. Our long-term care providers on the national and state level are very concerned about this escalating issue and are taking it seriously. THCA is working closely with its national association, which proactively met with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the White House last week to ensure coordination moving forward.”

THCA has strongly recommended that their long-term care providers prepare their facilities and staff by reviewing, updating, and implementing infection prevention and control plans, as well as emergency communication plans in accordance with CDC and local health departments. Additionally, we have recommended the following actions to help prevent the entry of COVID-19 into long-term care facilities regardless of whether or not it has been found in the surrounding community:

• Restricting entry into facilities to only individuals who absolutely need it
• Actively screening individuals entering the building and restricting entry to those with respiratory symptoms or with possible COVID-19 exposure
• Requiring mandatory hand washing for all individuals entering the building
• Restricting group activities and outings to public spaces
• Setting up processes to allow remote communication for residents and families to maintain connections during this time
• Prepare staff and reinforce that anyone that is sick should stay home.

THCA has heard from many providers about supply shortages of hand sanitizer, masks, and gowns, which could impact providers’ ability to handle a potential COVID-19 outbreak. THCA has been communicating with providers and suppliers about the availability of additional supplies; however, concern remains as resources are being used.  Providers are being urged to communicate with their local health department if they are unable to acquire these needed supplies.

“It is more critical now than ever that Texas have a robust and healthy work force in our long-term healthcare facilities. Texas providers already have immense struggles with maintaining an adequate workforce and an outbreak amongst staff could be devastating to our ability to care for our residents,” continued Warren. “With this in mind, THCA is communicating with agency officials towards priority testing for our employees and our residents to quickly identify any potential risks.”

Finally, THCA strongly encourages facilities to review and update infection control plans and emergency communication plans. Follow CDC and local health department updates to be better prepared and equipped to prevent the spread and contain the spread of the virus.