The 2019 Legislative Session began on Tuesday, Jan. 8, and committees are getting underway this week. Your LeadingAge Minnesota advocacy team is ready to work on your behalf throughout session this year. To give you a clearer picture of the policies we are supporting, our team has prepared a legislative preview document to give you an in-depth look at the priorities for this session:  

Access The 2019 Session Preview and Priorities.

LeadingAge Minnesota looks forward to another productive session with our partners in the Long-Term Care Imperative. Together at the Capitol, we advocate for policies that help us to provide better care for the seniors we serve and their caregivers.

The Long-Term Care Imperative has several priorities this legislative session including:

• Funding Quality Care
• Invest in Elderly Waiver Payment Reform
• Reform Nursing Home Property Rate System
• Restore Disability Waiver Rate System
• Addressing the Workforce Challenge
• Expand HCBS Scholarship Grants
• Invest in Career Kickstarter Campaign
• Providing Safe Care and Protecting Seniors for Maltreatment
• Establish Assisted Living License
• Allow Electronic Monitoring in All Setting
• Define Minimum Qualifications for Assisted Living Operators
• Establish a Safety and Quality Technical Improvement Panel 

As you know, soon one of every four Minnesotans will be over the age of 65. In just one year, we will have more people age 65+ than school-aged children. 

No person should spend his or her retirement years alone, lacking adequate care, support or housing. 

It’s going to take a lot of us, working together, to ensure Minnesota is ready to care for our seniors and embrace the wisdom, experience and spirit they have to offer. We look forward to sharing our message with lawmakers throughout the 2019 legislative session.

For additional details about the Long-Term Care Imperative priorities, review the legislative preview document or contact Kari Thurlow at kthurlow@leadingagemn.org.