How Laura Willard Took on HME Advocacy Full Time

These are phrases we hear over and over again from owners, employees and others in this industry. It’s easy to feel that things are hopeless, especially in the face of dramatic change.

But there’s another constant, and that’s the people who show up to make a difference. Industry advocates use their voices to explain the value of providing care and equipment in the home, speaking on behalf of everyone who works in homecare.

There are dozens of them working at the local, state and national level. And it’s not as hard as it looks for anyone to join their ranks. In this special feature, we share a few of their stories—and some tips if you’re inspired.

“I’ve done a lot of different things inside the industry, but my favorite role was actually the advocacy I did at the DME provider that I worked for,” Willard said. “I got involved with the state associations and meeting with the Medicaid programs and trying to impact some of their medical policies and advocating for rate increases for our industry as a provider. And I really enjoyed that a lot.”

When she first got into advocacy, she was nervous, but the excitement outweighed the fear.

“I believed in what we were doing, and I think that took away some of the nervousness that I would have had. I really believed in our story and what we did for patients, and so that made it much easier.”

Willard had two big advocacy wins that showed her that the work she put into advocating matters. Her first came when she was working with the DME provider. Alongside the Atlantic Coast Medical Services Equipment Association (ACMESA), advocates pushed for industry rate increases at a time the government was looking to make cuts. The group had already established a relationship with the state Medicaid program—so when the advocates came calling, the state listened.

“We actually got a pretty good rate increase when I was a provider, all based on the relationships we built at the Medicaid of North Carolina,” she said. “Still to this day, I have phenomenal relationships inside that Medicaid program. There’s a mutual respect and trust between North Carolina Medicaid and myself and the people at ACMESA.”

The second win that sticks with Willard dates back to 2018, when AAHomecare helped get a rate floor bill passed in Kentucky. The bill was the first of its kind in the industry and, according to Willard, took a tremendous amount of teamwork and effort. She poured her soul into the cause, flying to Kentucky eight times in a two-week period, testifying, meeting with legislators and negotiating numbers with the chief financial officer of Kentucky Medicaid.

“It really showed that we could make an impact on rate legislation,” she said. “It really set the stage for a lot of other people in the industry to take it as a positive moment and say, ‘You know what? Advocacy does work, and we need to get involved and really start doing this in our state.’”

In her current role at AAHomecare, Willard is focused on educating states and state associations on the impact expected from the federal cuts to Medicaid. The cuts mean $1.1 trillion will come out of funding to Medicaid programs over the next 10 years. Using resources, she and AAHomecare use data to “rally the troops,” preparing them on what to expect and how to protect the industry. She is also meeting with payers and building strategic relationships to show what the industry really is and the value that comes from it.

For Willard, home medical equipment advocacy wouldn’t be what it is today without the many state and regional associations that collaborate with AAHomecare.

“I’ve seen the biggest positive change when we’ve all started trying to coordinate our messaging and the initiative’s we’re going after,” she said. “It makes a huge difference … And I think it does help those providers who aren’t sure [how to give involved]. It helps them feel confident and … not alone.”

However, legislative wins and losses can feel more personal. Navigating those highs and lows, especially when advocating is her full-time job, is all about understanding balance, she said.

“We’ve got a lot of people from inside the industry at AAHomecare now, and you understand the advocacy when you’re doing it for your company, but when you get into it at this level, it really gets in your blood,” Willard said. “I’ve seen it every single time with every person that’s come in to AAHomecare that have come from a provider background. They can see the positive impact we can have. You’re on all the time, but it’s exciting and it’s invigorating as well. You see the positive change, and that keeps you going.”

For providers who are interested in beginning their advocacy journey, Willard gave a few points of advice.

1. There’s always enough time. Even if you feel that all your spare seconds are dedicated to your small business, not helping fight the industry challenges or fight for positive change for yourself and others will lead to a tougher road for the business of all providers.

2. You can do this. Willard says a common thing she hears is, “I don’t know if I can do that. I don’t know what to do.” Don’t let that fear get in the way. There are plenty of resources and people ready to help you get involved. AAHomecare has toolkits, talking points and other helpful resources at aahomecare.org.

3. Your state association is just as important. Advocacy on the state level is just as important as on the federal level. So if you aren’t sure where to start, start local. Being involved with building relationships with state legislators is extremely important as cuts to Medicaid begin and as advocates begin to call for rate sustainability, Willard said.

“If they’re not involved with their state and regional associations, they need to get involved,” she said. “They need to build relationships with their legislators. Because we can’t wait until we need them to build the relationships. We need to have them ready to go as soon as things pop up that we need to be fighting against or fighting for.”

In June, Willard will celebrate 10 years of being with AAHomecare.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” she said. “It’s been a lot of work, but it’s been a lot of fun.”