Observation Deck

The 7 Steps for Legislative Success

How to lobby for positive legislative outcomes.

• By Ted Metcalf
• May 01, 2011

Over the past several years we have seen a steady increase in advocacy activities put forth by HME providers, furthering their efforts to lobby for positive change with their state and federal congressional leaders. This is no surprise. Significant threats to the business and beneficiaries we serve, such as competitive bidding, the first month purchase option elimination and changes to the reimbursement of oxygen to name a few have forced providers to get out and lobby for the viability of their business, patientcare and beneficial outcomes in the homecare industry.

Hopefully, advocacy has become a part of every provider’s weekly activity across the nation and with respect to certain geographical markets, an almost daily activity. But how would you grade yourself in your lobbying activities to date? Have you started, do you participate when asked or have you made this a regular part of your business? What would you like to add or change this year; why is it important and how do you go about it?

Seven Key Steps

Lobbying for positive legislative outcomes is no different than any other relationship management activities a business engages in, it just happens to be with a different group of individuals. If we look at it from that standpoint, the steps we take become familiar.

Step 1: Identification. Begin by identifying who represents you in the House and Senate both at the state and federal level. The best place to find this information is by putting in your zip code at www.congress.org. Depending on the issue it will be important to know who to call, how to get in touch with them and something about them from their biography. By clicking the link to their official website you can also find out what committees they are on, legislation they have introduced or co-sponsored, as well as their voting record on legislation that has already passed.

A phone call is the best way to secure a meeting with their legislative office, so this is a great way to get to know your members of Congress before that call is made. Your goal is to find something you have in common before you request an appointment at the local district office. Keep in mind; it is your home address that determines your representatives.

Step 2: Introduction. Introduce who you are and that you are a constituent. Describe your business and the customers you serve in their district. The goal is to establish rapport. No one knows your business better than you; therefore, by establishing that you are also looking out for the best interests of their constituents they are far more willing to listen.

Step 3: Explain and Support Your Reason for Visiting. Let them know what you want to discuss, identify how the issue impacts their constituents and how they can help. Provide specific legislation that could have a positive impact or adversely affect your business and the beneficiaries you serve. You want them to view you as a trusted ally when it comes to co-sponsoring or casting a vote for or against legislation on healthcare related matters.

Step 4: Make the Connection. Your goal is to show them how their support or rejection of legislation will make a difference. How is this best accomplished? By making the connection and knowing your ABCs; A – Accurate, B – Brief, C – Courteous. Let’s start with being accurate. Always state facts and build the relationship by being a credible source of information. Never guess. If you don’t know the answer to any questions posed then let them know you will get back to them with the information requested.

Be brief. Your elected officials represent many, many constituents. You cannot afford to waste your time, or theirs. Realistically you only have about 15 minutes to state your case and show how the legislation specifically affects their constituents. This may include end users, health care companies and the healthcare industry as a whole in the district. In addition, if the impact could include a loss of jobs it will be important to point this out as no legislator wants to lose jobs in the district.

Be courteous. This goes without saying, right? While your member of Congress represents you, as a voter, being discourteous, aggressive or demanding will not likely produce the results you are trying to accomplish, especially if you want them to do something for you.

Step 5: Ask for Action. Once you have stated your case let your legislator know exactly what you would like for them to do and ask for their commitment to act. Know the bill by number, who introduced it, and who else is in their party is in favor, or opposed to it. If there is bipartisan support or opposition it will be important to know that, as well.

Step 6: Leave Materials Behind. Don’t exit the office without leaving supporting documentation behind in a concise and relevant format. Provide a copy of the legislation, current letters in support of your position and any statistics available on the impact to the district. Legislative aides and district officials rely on constituents helping them navigate the maze of information.

Step 7: Follow Up. Continue the relationship with the legislator and their staff. This includes district directors and constituent services representatives as well as the health care legislative assistant. First and foremost, thank the representative for listening and their consideration for support. Your goal here in follow up is to continue the relationship in perpetuity. Build a positive and long term relationship. If you have done your job well in steps one through six, then you can expect the follow up to be exciting and a positive experience in instituting change in the legislative process.

Results Are Commensurate with Effort

Remember, the degree of your infl uence as a constituent is directly related to the efforts and hard work you put into your lobbying efforts. Your understanding and knowledge of the industry is key. Preparation, communication and following up are crucial. Those who represent you at both the state and federal level always appreciate a subject matter expert in this industry.

Across the country HME providers view “lobbying” as a must do activity and an opportunity to further the understanding of what they do and who they do it for. As a business owner, can you afford not to?

This article originally appeared in the May 2011 issue of HME Business.