Jill Mazza Olson, executive director of the VNAs of Vermont, has been appointed to positions on the advocacy and rural advisory councils of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice, a trade association that represents the nation’s 33,000 home care and hospice organizations.
The NAHC Advocacy Council is responsible for developing initial policy positions on regulatory and legislative issues in home care and hospice. The Rural Advisory Council was established to provide insights into the needs of health care providers serving rural areas, like Vermont, to ensure that NAHC actions are consistent with the interests of rural providers.
“Federal policy has an immense impact on Vermont’s system of home health and hospice care; changes to Medicare policies and rates profoundly affect Vermont patients,” said VNAs of Vermont board president Johanna Beliveau, who is the president and CEO of Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire. “Jill’s expert participation on these important national leadership committees will ensure that the unique challenges and needs of Vermont patients and providers remain a part of our collective federal advocacy.”
The member agencies of VNAs of Vermont provide a full range of high-quality, cost-effective home health and hospice services to the people of Vermont. Each year, member agencies deliver more than a million home visits by nurses, speech therapists, physical and occupational therapists, wound care specialists, social workers, home health aides, personal care attendants and others.