The American Health Care Association

and infrastructure. Fully funding Medicaid would allow providers to offer more competitive wages and benefits to frontline caregivers. COVID-19 has exacerbated these economic challenges. Nursing homes have spent tens of billions responding to the pandemic, specifically personal protective equipment, testing, additional staff, and bonus pay. Coupled with significant revenue losses due to fewer new residents, the nursing home industry expects to lose $94 billion over the course of the pandemic. As a health care provider that relies almost entirely on government reimbursement, nursing homes cannot make substantial reforms on their own. They need the support of federal and state policymakers and resources. We must not let something like the pandemic happen in long term care ever again, and we must prepare for a growing elderly population. AHCA is eager to work collaboratively with the Biden Administration and Congress to implement significant reforms that will protect and improve the lives of our nation’s seniors. To learn more, please visit www.ahcancal.org/ solutions. *Dr. David Gifford, MD MPH, is the Chief Medical Officer at the American Health Care Association/ National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) in Washington, DC.