FALA Policy Statements

The Florida Assisted Living Association Supports: 

Quality and Resident Safety

  • Support the creation of a strategy to address current workforce needs and implement plan to meet future challenges.
  • Support ways to create cooperative working relationships with state and local emergency management agencies to ensure resident safety during a declared state of emergency.
  • Support appropriate staffing requirements to fulfill residents’ needs and ensure their safety.
  • Support and recognize assisted living facilities that are meeting or exceeding mandated safety standards.
  • Support training that improves quality of services received without negatively increasing cost but has no substantial impact on resident health and safety. 

 

Appropriations and Funding

Florida assisted living facilities on average have seen stagnant reimbursement rates from managed care organizations for the last six years despite rising costs of providing care. Without action, this will make assisted living care less accessible to those Floridians who need it most.

  • Oppose any unfunded mandates in the state budget for private pay or Medicaid service providers.
  • Support increased reimbursement rates for Medicaid Assistive Care Services and Long-Term Care Services under the Home and Community-Based Services waiver.
  • Support increased funding for Personal Needs Allowances.
  • Support increased funding for reducing the backlog of residents on the Long-Term Care waitlist.
  • Support creation of a funding methodology workgroup for Medicaid reimbursement.
  • Support operational costs relief initiatives.
  • Legislation that improves the parity of the Personal Needs Allowance so that money follows the recipient.
  • Equality in the requirements of providers and Managed Care Organizations
  • Support increased funding and access to funding for Long Term Care services for low-income individuals.

 

Regulation/Licensing:

  • Support the equitable application of Chapters 408, 409, 429, and 435, F.S. and related administrative rules.
  • Support the streamlining of Florida’s regulations.
  • Oppose regulation that increases cost but has no substantial impact on resident health and safety.
  • Oppose unfunded regulatory mandates.
  • Study the potential of creating alternative accreditation options for facilities.
  • Study the applicability of the current specialty license structure (Limited Nursing Services, Extended Congregate Care, and Limited Mental Health).
  • Support adequate training of agency personnel to ensure appropriate application of inspection standards.
  • Support a consultative versus punitive survey process that increases compliance through the establishment of best practices.

 

Liability Insurance/Lawsuit Abuse:

  • Continue to support tort reform efforts to address assisted living facility liability and insurance issues, including COVID-19 related claims, workers' compensation rates.
  • Support the creation of a workgroup to study assisted living facility insurance rates.

 

The Florida Assisted Living Association (FALA) 

Professionally Represented by:

Liberty Partners of Tallahassee, LLC

113 E. College Avenue, Suite 400|Tallahassee, FL 32302

850-841-1726 - Office|www.libertypartnersfl.com

9.1.23 Board Approved