AHCA launches Ad firestorm at Congress: No Medicare/Medicaid cuts

Long-term care organizations greeted Congress with a new advertising blitz aimed at keeping nursing home funding away from the budgetary carving knife.

The American Health Care Association (AHCA) is leading the aggressive march with testimonial advertising on television, radio, social media and in newspapers, hoping to sway congressional members to avoid massive cuts to Medicare and Medicaid in order to reduce the federal deficit.

Congress has until the end of the year to reach its own solution to the national budget crisis, or a host of budget reductions will kick in—including slashing $11 billion from Medicare through an overarching 2 percent payment cut.

“The end of the year marks the end of the line for sequestration.  Something must be done to address these deep cuts to Medicare,” said Mark Parkinson, AHCA’s president and CEO in a statement. “AHCA and our members stand ready to help, but that begins with never losing sight of those we care for every day. Any potential deal struck to address the ‘fiscal cliff’ must consider the impact on our residents and the much needed access to quality care that we provide.”

Pamela Tabar

Pamela Tabar was editor-in-chief of I Advance Senior Care from 2013-2018. She has worked as a writer and editor for healthcare business media since 1998, including as News Editor of Healthcare Informatics. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Kent State University and a master’s degree in English from the University of York, England.