AAHomecare Retains D.C. Lobbying Firm

The association has added The Nickles Group to its team of lobbying consultants. The firm brought on the former health policy director for the Senate Finance Committee, Brett Baker.

• By David Kopf
• Aug 05, 2021

The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) has retained Washington, D.C. lobbying firm The Nickles Group (TNG) to help engage lawmakers and federal agencies overseeing healthcare policy.

AAHomecare noted that the TNG team includes contacts and experience working with CMS, HHS, OMB, and Capitol Hill, and recently added Brett Baker, the former health policy director for the Senate Finance Committee, to its team. Baker was involved in every major Medicare legislative initiative for the last decade through his work on Congressional committees of jurisdiction on healthcare issues, the associated noted.

“I had the privilege of working with AAHomecare during my 10 years on Capitol Hill — first with the House Ways & Means Committee and then with the Senate Finance Committee,” Baker said in a public statement. “It gave me a front-row seat to see how the Association and its members channeled passion for serving patients into legislative success. I, along with my colleagues at The Nickles Group, am excited to join the AAHomecare advocacy team and continue to achieve results for its members.”

AAHomecare noted that the Nickles Group has well-established relationships with Republicans in both the House and Senate that will complement the capabilities of AAHomecare’s other lobbying and public policy consultants, Prime Policy and Foley & Hoag.

“Brett Baker brings a wealth of experience and an expert understanding of the factors that influence Congress on healthcare policy,” noted Jay Witter, AAHomecare’s senior vice president of public policy. “I have had the privilege of working directly with him on several issues impacting the HME community and have always come away impressed with his ability to work effectively with his peers on Capitol Hill and with a broad range of healthcare stakeholders on complex legislative initiatives. He will be a great source of strategic counsel for advancing HME policy priorities.”

“I am excited to bring aboard such a highly influential and effective group to strengthen the HME sector’s ability to engage Congress and the Administration,” AAHomecare President and CEO Tom Ryan added. “I am confident TNG will be a tremendous asset across the full scope of our legislative priorities, especially as we ramp up advocacy efforts for realistic, market-based HME Medicare reimbursement policy in the months ahead.”