Welcome to our new contributor Martin Allen, late of the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living where he served as the senior vice president of reimbursement policy. He is now retired and living near an ocean but is onboard the contributor team for Park Place! His thoughts will appear monthly.

I left the LTC workforce in 2025 and am no longer trying to influence policymakers. I defer that to those continuing the mission to improve the lives of residents by pursuing adequate payment and reasonable regulation. They are experts on how to be effective in the policy world in DC and beyond. However, here is where I am now almost one year later.

I did not read management bestsellers or books on leadership when working, unless required as an employee to do so. There are a few exceptions, but however inspirational or catchy the themes, I prefer to follow basic management techniques in my work life - with those I reported to and those colleagues who reported through me in my organization. I think I was successful in supporting my people and the missions of my organizations.

At their core, the underlying themes I followed come back to simple lessons learned through education and work experience (and our mothers). Be presentable, be prepared, be on time, be respectful, be a good listener, make eye contact, speak slowly, articulate your thoughts in simple non-technical language (hard in this industry, mom), and do listen again and be ready for feedback. The KISS technique is appropriate (Keep it Simple Stupid) but without the Stupid part. Be direct, respect the opinions of others, and always follow up.

Educate, Don’t Dictate

A meeting with any individual in government is an opportunity to have an impact for our residents. Since they have full-time jobs with lots of demands too, always remember that you may get interrupted, be delayed, be shortened, rescheduled, or have it branch off on an unrelated tangent. Be ready to adapt as needed to deliver your message.

Meeting a federal or state elected official, policymaker/regulator, or support staff is a chance to educate them on an issue not to state a “You have to do this” position. A formal face-to-face meeting is always preferable because you can read the table, but all of us old-timers now know how to use a Zoom call or its equivalent in an effective manner. Know who you are meeting with, why you are there, and the skills and talents of those in the room so you know how to focus on each person.

Never start with an ask – always start with a request for a relationship or remind them of the relationship you have cultivated. Be honest and be a resource. You want to understand the person you are meeting with and have them understand you by providing data and examples. The goal is to establish an honest dialogue demonstrating an understanding of the issue from both sides.

Gauging the ‘Impossible’

It is important to focus on what is achievable versus what is not (immediately) achievable. There are near-term and long-term implications of this. In the near term you can provide a solution or steps on a pathway to get from where you are now to a future state down the road. I remember a phrase from an inspirational speaker, Art Berg, from a management meeting during my first career. “The impossible just takes a little longer.”  

What is unachievable now may be achievable in the future with persistence, heart, and honesty. This may involve a future compromise on your part or the other side, but you want to move towards a better future state.

There are many examples of achievable versus unachievable goals with state and federal policymakers but will leave it here for now. If feedback is positive, Park Place may let me write regularly. I respect the individuals involved with this unique mission and look forward to contributing.

About the Author: Martin Allen is the former senior vice president of reimbursement policy for the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living. He also served as the vice president of revenue cycle and reimbursement services for ProMedica Senior Care (formerly HCR ManorCare). A certified public accountant with a master’s in business administration, Allen has more than 35 years of extensive work in accounting, Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, healthcare compliance, risk management, and revenue cycle processes.

Any thoughts on this article? Please contact Patrick Connole at pconnole@parkplacelive.com.