With over 20 years of advocacy experience under his belt, Jason Lee, the new chief executive officer of the Home Care Association of America, told McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse that he plans to face obstacles with “transparency and accountability.”
“To have success, it’s a mix of direct lobbying, grassroots lobbying, and we have a Hill day,” said Lee who replaced retiring HCAOA CEO Vicki Hoak this week. “We’ll be working on making sure that we have the data and research that shows the value of home care and how it has a positive impact on families.”
Lee’s career began in Washington, where he was an intern for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX). From there, he went on to work as a legislative assistant for Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) then took on a position with Alcalde & Fay, a lobbying firm. He held various titles at the Association of Fundraising Professionals, including director of government relations, general counsel, interim president and chief advocacy strategy officer. Most recently, he was chief of staff and senior adviser to the president at the American Dental Education Association.
These roles shaped his approach to advocacy, he said, which combines what he calls “storytelling” — anecdotes and testimonies from patients, caregivers and others involved with care in the home — with data and facts.
While Lee, who holds a Juris Doctor degree from The George Washington University Law School and a Master of Arts in English Literature from Binghamton University, has never advocated for a home care organization, he is familiar with home care on a personal level. In a message to members this week, he noted that his mother and autistic brother received home care services recently while his father was traveling.
“It was reassuring for my entire family to know that my mother and brother were receiving exemplary care in the comfort of their own home,” he wrote.
Lee recognizes he has work to do. Resisting the proposed Medicaid 80/20 rule, which would mandate that 80% of Medicaid payments for personal care and home health aide services be spent on direct care workers’ compensation, is among the association’s top priorities, he noted.
Other missions include advocating for the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act and the Veteran Care Improvement Act, two pieces of legislation that HCAOA has been supporting.
“Certainly we have a number of positive things moving forward. I think the Elizabeth Dole Act has some real viability,” Lee said. “We can make some inroads.”
Lee also wants to be more than a figurehead for members. Offering clear communication, and relevant and timely information, and providing a “pathway to have a conversation” with members are also important to him.
“We’re listening, I’m listening, and we can’t be more excited to work with all of them. And we have a very bright future,” Lee said.
