Forrester Honored by NH Health Care Association

PEMBROKE, NH - The New Hampshire Health Care Association (NHHCA) is pleased to honor state Sen. Jeanie Forrester, R-Meredith, as their Carl Johnson Legislative Leadership Award winner of 2015.

Each year, the NHHCA presents this award to a legislator who has worked tirelessly to protect the residents and employees of NH’s long-term care facilities, including nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The award is named after state Sen. Carl Johnson, who coincidentally used to occupy the seat that Forrester now holds.

In January, Forrester sponsored a bill, SB 8. This bill aimed to assure that budgetary funds that designated to reimburse nursing homes for the care provided to residents that rely on Medicaid would be used for that purpose, rather than being used to offset a deficit in the NH Department of Health and Human Services Budget – as the department and the governor had recently decided would happen. Sen. Forrester championed the cause and nursing home residents and staff turned out to testify at hearings on the bill. Thanks to this effort, the Governor reversed the decision and the funds were used as intended, to reimburse for care.

Senator Forrester was also key in assuring that the 2016/17 NH State Budget includes stronger language to ensure that a diversion, such as the one that SB 8 aimed to stop, could not occur again. She also worked to remove a diversion of funds, called MQIP, into the General Fund. Her efforts assured that nursing homes would not lose $35 million in reimbursements for care of NH’s most medically fragile residents.

“Senator Forrester has repeatedly demonstrated her support for NH’s long-term care residents and those that provide their care,” said John Poirier, the president andCEO of the NH Health Care Association, in a press statement. This is the second time that she has received the Carl Johnson award, she has been recognized in prior years with a “Friend of Seniors” Award, and the NH Long Term Care Foundation has named a scholarship after her. We appreciate her ability to understand important issues, her readiness to take action when necessary, and her willingness to work with her fellow legislators to assure the best possible outcome for the residents of NH.”

“I am honored to be the recipient of the Carl Johnson Legislative Leadership Award Winner of 2015 from the New Hampshire Health Care Association, who I have worked closely with for many years,” said Senate Finance Chair Jeanie Forrester (R-Meredith).

“Advocating for New Hampshire’s nursing home and assisted living residents and the staff who are committed to serving them is one of my top priorities as a legislator. As the Chair of Senate Finance, the committee responsible for developing the biennial budget, I took action to ensure that long-term care facilities are being provided their full funding rate, employees are being compensated appropriately, and that they are protected from dangerous budget cuts during the latest budget process. In addition, last session I sponsored legislation that prevented a severe cut to the long-term and nursing home budget of $8 million, which also put the necessary and proper protections in place for the future of our long term care residents and employees in New Hampshire.”

“I am thankful to be the recipient of this award and I look forward to working with the NH Health Care Association in the upcoming session and for many years to come,” added Forrester.

Caption: Robert Dunn, Jr. Esquire, Devine, Millimet, & Branch; Senator Jeanie Forrester of Meredith; Roxie Severance, Board Chairperson-NHHCA and Administrator & CEO-the Morrison inWhitefield; John Poirier, President & CEO, NHHCA.