Tag: Medicaid HCBS

Senate Debates Expansion of Medicaid HCBS

The Senate Special Committee on Aging met this week to debate the improvement and expansion of home-based services, particularly home-and-community based services, a consistent priority for committee chairman Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). Witnesses and Senators frequently cited. Casey’s Better Care Better Jobs (BCBJ) Act, strongly supported by NAHC, as it is the foundation for the HCBS provisions included in the Build Back Better (BBB) Act, the stalled health care, social service, and climate legislation that was a focus for much of 2021.

The most recent version of that legislation passed by the House of Representatives would provide $150 billion investment into Medicaid HCBS, permanency of the Money Follows the Person program, protections against spousal impoverishment for HCBS recipients, and several other policies intended to improved the provision of Medicaid HCBS.

Witnesses testimony focused on the current state of HCBS through explanation of statistics and data on the workforce, wages, patient need, and expected growth over the next eight to ten years. Witnesses highlighted the challenges that recipients are able to overcome with the assistance of home care, as well as the realities they face in the absence of care. They also highlighted challenges caregivers face in wages not competitive with other industries, feelings of isolation, and the grueling work. These accounts were paired with support for the Better Care Better Jobs Act.

While many of the witnesses lauded the HCBS funding included in the American Rescue Plan, passed in March 2021, they did add that it did not provide a permanent solution. Anne Tumlinson likened it to an “umbrella in a hurricane.”

At the hearing, the witness panel was comprised of Lisa Harootunian, Associate Director, Health Program, Bipartisan Policy Center, Anne Tumlinson, CEO, ATI Advisory, Brandon Kingsmore, Disability Advocate, Public Speaker, accompanied by Ms. Lynn Weidner, Home Care Worker, and Alene Shaheed, Home Care Recipient.

While the version of Build Back Better passed by the House is not expected to see further consideration in the Senate, work continues to be done on compiling a package of provisions consistent with the intent of BBB, though no specifics seem to be agreed to at this point.

NAHC will continue to urge Congress to make significant investments into the Medicaid HCBS program.

Senate Debates Expansion of Medicaid HCBS

The Senate Special Committee on Aging met this week to debate the improvement and expansion of home-based services, particularly home-and-community based services, a consistent priority for committee chairman Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). Witnesses and Senators frequently cited. Casey’s Better Care Better Jobs (BCBJ) Act, strongly supported by NAHC, as it is the foundation for the HCBS provisions included in the Build Back Better (BBB) Act, the stalled health care, social service, and climate legislation that was a focus for much of 2021.

The most recent version of that legislation passed by the House of Representatives would provide $150 billion investment into Medicaid HCBS, permanency of the Money Follows the Person program, protections against spousal impoverishment for HCBS recipients, and several other policies intended to improved the provision of Medicaid HCBS.

Witnesses testimony focused on the current state of HCBS through explanation of statistics and data on the workforce, wages, patient need, and expected growth over the next eight to ten years. Witnesses highlighted the challenges that recipients are able to overcome with the assistance of home care, as well as the realities they face in the absence of care. They also highlighted challenges caregivers face in wages not competitive with other industries, feelings of isolation, and the grueling work. These accounts were paired with support for the Better Care Better Jobs Act.

While many of the witnesses lauded the HCBS funding included in the American Rescue Plan, passed in March 2021, they did add that it did not provide a permanent solution. Anne Tumlinson likened it to an “umbrella in a hurricane.”

At the hearing, the witness panel was comprised of Lisa Harootunian, Associate Director, Health Program, Bipartisan Policy Center, Anne Tumlinson, CEO, ATI Advisory, Brandon Kingsmore, Disability Advocate, Public Speaker, accompanied by Ms. Lynn Weidner, Home Care Worker, and Alene Shaheed, Home Care Recipient.

While the version of Build Back Better passed by the House is not expected to see further consideration in the Senate, work continues to be done on compiling a package of provisions consistent with the intent of BBB, though no specifics seem to be agreed to at this point.

NAHC will continue to urge Congress to make significant investments into the Medicaid HCBS program.

Senate Debates Expansion of Medicaid HCBS

The Senate Special Committee on Aging met this week to debate the improvement and expansion of home-based services, particularly home-and-community based services, a consistent priority for committee chairman Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). Witnesses and Senators frequently cited. Casey’s Better Care Better Jobs (BCBJ) Act, strongly supported by NAHC, as it is the foundation for the HCBS…

NAHC to Congress: Big Investment in HCBS is Needed Now

The National Association for Home Care & Hospice has joined a large group of likeminded organizations in urging leaders in both houses of Congress and both parties to ensure that Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) remain part of any package that moves forward. A large investment is essential for building a sustainable HCBS infrastructure that can begin to address the magnitude of need in our communities, both increasing access to Medicaid HCBS and addressing the direct care workforce crisis–creating more direct care jobs to support people with disabilities and aging adults, and making those jobs better.

To address the long-standing inequities the pandemic exposed and exacerbated, this investment is critical to fortify a workforce that must continue to expand to meet a rapidly increasing level of need. The HCBS workforce provides vital services, and yet these workers– who are primarily women of color–have been devalued and underpaid for decades, leading to severe staff shortages that can result in crucial gaps in service availability, lengthy waiting lists, service line closures, and additional obstacles to achieving a high quality of life for workers and recipients alike.

Due in large part to a long history of inadequate funding at the federal level, the system itself is not serving everyone who needs HCBS, even though most people far prefer to remain in their homes as they age, and research has shown that quality of life is significantly improved when individuals are able to live in the community. Further, people with disabilities of all ages have a legal right to receive services and supports in the most integrated setting, regardless of the source of payment for services. Yet, 31 years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, over 800,000 people with disabilities are currently on waiting lists for the Medicaid-funded services needed to make that possible, and many more are entering institutions against their wishes because they do not have qualified and trained direct care staff to support them in the setting of their choice. These waiting lists leave people with disabilities, aging adults and their families waiting years and even decades for services. The investments in the Build Back Better Agenda are crucial to reach this as yet unrealized goal of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

When older adults who want to age in place and people with disabilities who need support to work, live independently, and be a part of their communities are left waiting, the responsibility for care and support often falls on unpaid family caregivers, who also need financial assistance. The costs of this inadequate system fall disproportionately on people of color with limited income and wealth. The workforce and earnings losses related to unpaid family caregiving are significant and well-documented.

NAHC urges Congress to continue to include and prioritize the large investment in the infrastructure of Medicaid HCBS, and the workforce that provides them, as lawmakers negotiate any package moving forward.

NAHC to Congress: Big Investment in HCBS is Needed Now

The National Association for Home Care & Hospice has joined a large group of likeminded organizations in urging leaders in both houses of Congress and both parties to ensure that Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) remain part of any package that moves forward. A large investment is essential for building a sustainable HCBS infrastructure…

The Better Care Better Jobs Act Means a Stronger Home Care Community

Tell your elected representatives in Congress to support the Better Care Better Jobs Act! Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), long-time champion of in-home care and sponsor of the Better Care Better Jobs Act, has released a set of nationwide and individual state reports on the projected impact his Better Care Better Jobs Act will have on workers and recipients of care…

The Better Care Better Jobs Act Means a Stronger Home Care Community

Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), long-time champion of in-home care and sponsor of the Better Care Better Jobs Act, has released a set of nationwide and individual state reports on the projected impact his Better Care Better Jobs Act will have on workers and recipients of care in the home.

These factsheets present a clear and concise picture of the need for Medicaid Home and Community-based Services (HCBS), comparison of cost of care between the home and congregate settings, as well as waitlist length for HCBS Services where applicable. In addition, the factsheets demonstrate the impact the Better Care Better Jobs Act would have on workforce shortages.

“For millions of families, and especially for women, home and community-based services are a bridge to work and a bridge to economic security,” said Senator Casey when introducing the legislation. “The Better Care Better Jobs Act would not only enable more older adults and people with disabilities to remain in their homes, stay active in their communities and lead independent lives, it would also create jobs and lead to higher wages for care workers, who are predominantly women and people of color. This legislation is critical to advancing equity, spurring economic recovery, and improving quality of life for older adults and people with disabilities”

The National Association for Home Care and Hospice is in full support of the Better Care Better Jobs Act and is working with Congress to ensure it is included in the budget reconciliation currently being developed in Congress. President Biden originally called for an investment into the HCBS program to the tune of $400 billion. The most recent house version of the reconciliation package allocated $190 billion, which could be susceptible to further cuts as negotiations work towards a final package.

NAHC encourages members to support robust funding of the Better Care Better Jobs Act andThe reports from Senator Casey can be helpful in these efforts.

The Better Care Better Jobs Act Means a Stronger Home Care Community

Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), long-time champion of in-home care and sponsor of the Better Care Better Jobs Act, has released a set of nationwide and individual state reports on the projected impact his Better Care Better Jobs Act will have on workers and recipients of care in the home.

These factsheets present a clear and concise picture of the need for Medicaid Home and Community-based Services (HCBS), comparison of cost of care between the home and congregate settings, as well as waitlist length for HCBS Services where applicable. In addition, the factsheets demonstrate the impact the Better Care Better Jobs Act would have on workforce shortages.

“For millions of families, and especially for women, home and community-based services are a bridge to work and a bridge to economic security,” said Senator Casey when introducing the legislation. “The Better Care Better Jobs Act would not only enable more older adults and people with disabilities to remain in their homes, stay active in their communities and lead independent lives, it would also create jobs and lead to higher wages for care workers, who are predominantly women and people of color. This legislation is critical to advancing equity, spurring economic recovery, and improving quality of life for older adults and people with disabilities”

The National Association for Home Care and Hospice is in full support of the Better Care Better Jobs Act and is working with Congress to ensure it is included in the budget reconciliation currently being developed in Congress. President Biden originally called for an investment into the HCBS program to the tune of $400 billion. The most recent house version of the reconciliation package allocated $190 billion, which could be susceptible to further cuts as negotiations work towards a final package.

NAHC encourages members to support robust funding of the Better Care Better Jobs Act andThe reports from Senator Casey can be helpful in these efforts.

Listening Session on Home and Community-Based Services in the American Rescue Plan Act

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Servicse (CMS) has scheduled a listening session with the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services’ Disabled & Elderly Health Programs Group to help inform their development of  guidance for state Medicaid agencies concerning the American Rescue Plan Act’s (ARPA) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) provision. This call will be Conference…