American Health Care Association (AHCA) Selects CEO of Marquis Companies As New Board Chair
October 19, 2021
Phil Fogg Jr., a nationally recognized advocate for seniors and the founder of fifth-generation senior healthcare provider, Marquis Companies, is the new board chair of the American Health Care Association (AHCA). The organization of more than 14 thousand skilled nursing facilities and assisted living centers works with Congress and the Centers for Medicaid, Medicare Services (CMS), to advocate for quality care policy solutions that benefit senior care workers and the people they serve.
AHCA President/CEO and former Governor of Kansas, Mark Parkinson says Fogg’s leadership and experience sitting at the table where policies are made is critical at this time.
“Phil Fogg Jr. is an incredible leader –– that rare, right person for this pivotal time, as we grapple with the most challenging time in our industry’s history,” says Parkinson. “We’re honored to have Phil serve as AHCA Board Chair and I’m confident he will lead us to a brighter future that will affect thousands of long term care workers and seniors.”
30 Years of Providing Innovative Services for Seniors
Fogg’s Marquis Companies owns and operates 28 facilities offering post-acute rehab, long-term care, assisted living, and memory care. Marquis’ sister company, Consonus Healthcare offers contract rehabilitation, pharmacy, and consulting services to senior care providers nationwide. The newest business unit driven by Fogg is AgeRight Care Management Solutions focusing on population health management. This includes AgeRight Advantage Health Plan, AgeRight Clinical Services, AgeRight PAC Network, and AgeRight Care at Home. The company’s charitable arm, Vital Life Foundation, supports organizations and programs that create opportunities for helping people “live the best rest of their lives.”
Fogg brings an arsenal of results-driven skills in business, finance, innovation, technology, and advocacy. He’s known for his collaborative, but “get it done” style, finding data-driven solutions when they don’t exist and incubating businesses that create them.
Meeting Industry “Headwinds, Threats and Challenges”
Fogg says he’ll first focus on driving policies that address the most serious threats to the industry.
“AHCA has accomplished great things in a very complex and difficult environment and I’m proud of the organization and our profession,” says Fogg. “Despite these challenging times, we’re going to unite like never before, because make no mistake, our industry is up against some serious headwinds, threats, and challenges that we need to confront immediately.” Among those challenges:
- Workforce shortages. “A combination of COVID-19 fatigue, remote learning for K-12, enhanced federal benefits and retirements, all took millions of people out of the American workforce. The potential threats to quality, census, and access to senior care services are serious and impactful. We must commit more resources and focus on short term and long term workforce supply strategies.”
- Regulatory threats. “Public Health Emergency (PHE) declarations have exposed our profession to many different regulatory threats. We need to maintain our seat at the policy table to ensure that any regulatory reform results in positive outcomes and proposals are funded dollar-for-dollar.”
- PDPM parity adjustment. “We were able to avoid a Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) parity adjustment this year. However, we must protect providers from that possibility in next year’s CMS Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) and/or the Final Rule.”
- Underfunded state Medicaid rates and/or managed Medicaid programs. “We must advocate for federal long-term Medicaid funding reform that ensures providers are getting both current underfunding and inflation in their ‘allowable costs’ paid for. This would include a requirement that CMS tests the adequacy of Medicaid payments in their State Plan Amendment approval process. While the PHE has pushed the opportunity to advocate for this policy change, it has also exposed the gaps between actual reimbursement and actual allowable costs. We have the opportunity to educate the Hill, advocates, and governmental agencies.”
At the heart of Fogg’s advocacy on behalf of seniors and their care providers is the Fogg family’s long history of honoring seniors. From his first job, at 12 years old, working at his grandparents senior living home, to CEO and founder of one of the nation’s largest family-owned providers of senior care, Fogg’s mission remains the same: “Helping seniors live the best rest of their lives.”
Leadership Milestones
- As AHCA Vice-Chair, leading treasury and business management, allocation of long-term investment portfolio, strategic planning, and PAC fundraising.
- Serving as board member of Point Click Care, VYNCA, OHCA, CAHF Government Relations, SCPC Chair, AHCA Vice Chair, Ronald McDonald House and Vital Life Foundation.
- Creating the industry recognized Marquis Companies COVID-19 “Road to Recovery Plan” which included an early forecast of the virus’ impact, securing supplies of PPE, launching a multi-platform education and communication plan for residents, patients, and staff, and finishing among first in the nation to vaccinate 90% of residents and 82% of staff.
- Establishing Consonus Pharmacy and Community Pharmacy as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “trusted and approved providers” of the COVID-19 vaccines.
- Co-funding and incubating businesses that provided solutions, such as faster COVID-19 test results.