ADVOCACY SPOTLIGHT
One-On-One with ASCAPAC Champs Colorado and Connecticut state leaders share their stories BY SAHELY MUKERJI
David G. Ornelas, CASC, chief operating officer at Colorado Clinic in Love- land, Colorado, volun- teered as the state leader
for Colorado during the “2017 If Not Now, When?” ASCAPAC State Compe- tition. Colorado won the category of the most money raised with nearly $20,000. With a participation of 15 percent
of state ASCs, Connecticut won the category with the highest percentage of participation. Lisa Winkler, executive director of Connecticut Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers and part- ner at Innovate and Organize in Avon, Connecticut, was the state leader.
What inspired you to be involved in the political action committee (PAC)? ORNELAS: A few years ago, I was asked by Rob Schwartz, my dear friend and mentor, to help with ASCAPAC and head up
the campaign for Colorado. I believe in the ASC model and wanted to help on a larger scale, so I immediately accepted the offer. I truly enjoy the competition and the camaraderie with colleagues from around the country and have been doing it ever since.
WINKLER: Kerri Ubal di, Rich Searles and I teamed up to spearhead the PAC effort here in Connecticut this year.
For me, having been involved with the Connecticut legislature for many years, participating in PACs had almost been second nature. Any organiza- tion needs to be able to support folks who understand their industry and will allow them to make their case. For the ASC industry, we need to have a seat at the table and a voice in the debate. Being able to support candidates who understand what we do and the value
we bring to the health care system is more critical than ever.
Why is it important to participate in the PAC? ORNELAS: Without the support of con- tributions from ambulatory surgery cen- ters and individual donors, the uphill battle to promote our industry’s agenda is infinitely steeper. Our support goes a long way in assisting our lobbying group as they work tirelessly to make our collective voice heard. For those of us involved in the ambulatory surgery center business, this is our livelihood, and I feel an inherent need to support it.
WINKLER: Many, many organizations have PACs and participate in the pro- cess. We need to have a strong voice, as an industry. That means we need every- one to contribute. Having a strong PAC means we can help to educate more can- didates on the benefits of ASCs. We have a great story to tell and cannot get lost in the shuffle. As a member of this industry, it is a must in my eyes.
How do you motivate your state to get involved? ORNELAS: I am extremely fortunate to live in Colorado where we have a very active state association. We tend to be a competitive bunch as well, so this year, I issued a challenge to my col- leagues and started the campaign with my own ASC’s contribution. Not to be outdone, other ASC’s and individu- als matched our opening donation and some even surpassed it. This is the first year that I employed this tactic, but as a result, we raised about $7,000 more this year than in previous years.
WINKLER:We have a wonderful group of ASCs here in Connecticut and knowledgeable, strong leaders in the industry. Many of our folks just get it. That being said, it is definitely a pro-
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cess and one that is ongoing. I would like nothing more than to see 100 per- cent participation. Peer pressure is an amazing thing too, it is important to put your money where your mouth is.
Where is the PAC money used? ORNELAS: As most people may have heard, ASCAPAC is the only political action committee in the country work- ing on our behalf. Lobbying efforts and nonpartisan contributions to sup- port ASC-friendly members of Con- gress require enormous resources.
WINKLER: PAC contributions help to support candidates and members of Congress who understand the value that ASCs bring to the health care delivery system. These are the folks who are vot- ing on legislation that will impact our centers and the patients they serve. It is critical that they understand what we do and how we do it. Bringing members and candidates in for a visit is a great way to illustrate that for them.
What do you have to say to the states that do not participate in PAC? ORNELAS: As I mentioned earlier, mak- ing our voice heard and increasing our visibility requires enormous financial resources. We are that resource—not just a few states—the entire country. During 2017’s campaign, I was
asked to send my “challenge letter” out to each state. I remember thinking that if I do, Colorado may lose the competi- tion. Then it struck me that if we come together as a country and each and every state contributes, we are all winners!
WINKLER: Just do it! Set a goal, write a check and jump in.
One day I got a call from Rob
Schwartz and was asked to get involved. That is all it took.
Sahely Mukerji is the editor of Focus magazine. Write her at
smukerji@ascassociation.org.
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