Nearly 700 Nursing Home Operators Are Heading to Capitol Hill — and Medicare Advantage Reform Is at the Top of the List

Washington, D.C. — Nearly 700 nursing home operators are about to descend on the nation’s capital, and they’re carrying a sharp message for lawmakers: it’s time to fix Medicare Advantage.

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living kicks off its Congressional Briefing on Monday, June 8. Industry leaders say it’s the largest turnout the group has seen in years, a sign that providers know just how much hangs in the balance this summer.

Clif Porter, CEO of AHCA/NCAL, told industry sources that the agenda is broad but the priorities are clear. Medicare Advantage reform sits at the top, followed closely by workforce legislation that would let nursing homes train more certified nursing assistants in their own buildings.

Why Medicare Advantage Is the Lead Issue

Operators have spent years complaining about denied claims, delayed payments, and prior authorization headaches that block residents from skilled care they need. The Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, which AHCA members will press lawmakers to support, aims to ease those barriers and shorten the fights between providers, plans, and beneficiaries.

Porter said the bill has rare bipartisan backing in both the House and Senate. That kind of cross-aisle support is hard to come by in Washington right now, and the industry sees a real window to move it.

“Having a fight with an insurance company over benefits at 90 years old is probably not the fairest thing to do,” Porter said.

It also fits into a larger pattern. Senate Democrats have already moved to kill an AI prior authorization pilot in traditional Medicare, citing the same kinds of access problems plans have created in MA.

Workforce Pressure Hasn’t Eased

The May jobs report showed the nursing home sector lost 100 positions, and the workforce remains below pre-pandemic levels. Porter called the dip minor in the bigger picture, saying the sector is still trending in the right direction.

That doesn’t mean the staffing crunch is over. Providers are pushing a workforce package that would expand in-house CNA training and create more pipelines into long-term care careers. Bipartisan support there too, Porter said.

The Strategy: Local Stories First

AHCA is coaching members to lead with what’s happening in their own facilities before pivoting to policy asks. Lawmakers, Porter said, want to hear directly from operators about staffing wins, resident outcomes, and the financial squeeze that keeps reshaping the industry.

“That local perspective is really what members of Congress want to hear,” Porter said.

The briefing runs through the week of June 8, with operators meeting one-on-one with senators and House members from across the country.