Image of male nurse pushing senior woman in a wheelchair in nursing facility

Following victories such as the newly signed IMPACT Act, provider advocates now will be more aggressive on Capitol Hill, leaders of the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living said at their annual convention last month in Washington, D.C.

AHCA has “played defense” well, and now will be “offensive” in advocating for a new payment model and on other issues, said President and CEO Mark Parkinson at the Oct. 6 General Session. 

Keynote speaker Gen. Colin Powell (ret.), former Secretary of State and Secretary of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, approved. 

“The only reason you go on the defensive is to create conditions to go on the offensive,” he said in an acclaimed speech.

More than 3,000 people attended, setting a record, organizers said.

AHCA leaders applauded the IMPACT Act — signed while the convention was occurring — and approved of forthcoming Five Star changes. These include audits to verify providers’ self-reported quality data and an antipsychotic rate quality measure.

AHCA supports increased transparency and ensuring data accuracy, Parkinson told McKnight’s