Adviser LeadingAge New York Summer 2015 July 2015 | Page 8

One
Voice
Updating Tactics for Lobbying and
Legislator Engagement
by Ami Schnauber, vice president, advocacy and public policy

F

or a long time, health care public policy and policy reforms have been discussed
and implemented both through legislative action and by health care influencers
outside the legislative process, such as the Department of Health (DOH), the
Governor’s office, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and large
health system and health plan executives. More and more, however, policy decisions
seem to be coming from policy makers outside of the State Legislature.

This has not gone unnoticed with the Legislature. In fact, the Legislature has begun
looking closely at the power that has been vested in the DOH. This presents an
opportunity for us to seek greater input into
the health care transformation underway,
but it comes with challenges and requires
It is important to understand the motives that drive these
modifying our public policy and advocacy
strategies.
policy makers. For the Governor and DOH it is the “Triple

Aim” of better health, better care and lower cost.

This evolving model of governing and
regulating presents providers and lobbyists
with new challenges for influencing policy
makers and policy decisions. We need to
rethink our past strategies and develop new tactics to ensure that we continue to
have input into those decisions. This means developing ways to get lawmakers more
engaged in policy making decisions and developing tactics to engage these nonlegislative policy makers (DOH, Governor’s staff, CMS, health systems and plans).
Energy policy has long been established off-budget and outside of the legislative
process. We can learn from the tactics energy interest groups have utilized to help
move their agendas, including engaging committee chairs and legislators through
targeted budget questions, sign on letters to agencies, and introduction of legislation
to encourage agency action.
Engaging Legislators
The good news is that the most important tactic remains the same – educating
lawmakers – but we need to start changing our messaging and our requests for
assistance when we engage with legislative representatives. As always, lawmakers
need to be educated about the services organizations provide and the value that they
bring to their community, both socially and economically. But lawmakers traditionally
see their role as that of passing budgets and bills. While legislative committee chairs
will be accustomed to engaging with the Governor’s office and agencies, rank and file
legislators will likely need to be educated and encouraged to play this role.
•

When meeting with legislators, it will be important to educate them about the
public policy decisions that are being made, without their input, and the impact
that reality is having on providers, caregivers and consumers in their community.
(See Updating Tactics on page 8)

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Adviser a publication of LeadingAge New York | Summer 2015