Action on NaCCRA Alert

On October 11, 2017, the Edenwald Chapter received the NaCCRA Legislative Alert regarding the potential loss of the medical tax deduction.  That same day, the message was forwarded to all Chapter members who had email.  The message was also forwarded to the Edenwald CEO, CFO, and the Residents’ Association Executive Committee.

The Residents’ Association agreed to support the copying of the Alert.  On September 12 & 13, a team of MaCCRA members copied and collated the Alert.  On September 13 the Chapter President made a presentation on the subject to the Residents’ Meeting, and copies of the Alert were distributed to all Floor Representatives.  The Representatives then distributed the Alert to their respective residents.  A number of residents subsequently contacted appropriate Congresspersons.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was introduced in the House Ways and Means Committee on November 2,  2017.  The Chapter Executive Committee met on that day and proposed that eight key Congresspersons be targeted for individual letters since it had become apparent many residents had difficulty making telephone calls or emailing congresspersons.  On November 6^th the Chapter President and the Association President met with the Edenwald CEO.  The Edenwald CEO agreed to support the copying of 100 packets of eight letters per packet directed to the eight key Congresspersons and also producing mailing labels and envelopes.  Edenwald Management then distributed the Leading Age Action Alert focused on the loss of the deduction to all residents.

At the Association Executive Committee meeting of November 8^th, the Association agreed to pay for the mailing costs.  The packets were collated November 8^th and 9^th by a team of Chapter members/officers and Association officers.  The Chapter President made another presentation at the Residents’ Meeting on November 10^th   urging residents who had not yet contacted Congress to do so, and 100 packets of individually addressed letters were distributed at the meeting.  At that meeting, the Edenwald CEO discussed the tax deduction and also the potential loss of tax-exempt bonds for financing renovation/expansion of non-profit corporations.  This would greatly raise borrowing costs.  As of November 13^th,  approximately 400 signed letters in envelopes have been received, and they will be posted.

Chapter Semi-Annual Meeting

On November 6, 2017, the Edenwald Chapter had its Semi-annual Meeting. The President discussed the potential loss of the medical deduction and reminded members that six months earlier at the Chapter’s 2016  Annual Meeting, there was a presentation by a resident who was a CPA.  The resident had done an analysis of his taxes and found they would rise very substantially if the medical deduction was lost.  Also, it would be even worse if the state and local tax deductions were lost.

The main presenters for the evening were Ms. Debora Nasdor, State & Baltimore County Ombudsman for Long Term Care and Ms. Lynn McCaine, Program Manager.  These ladies discussed all the Ombudsman services available to residents in long-term care in Baltimore County.