The National Association for Home Care & Hospice has joined other likeminded organizations in writing a letter to leaders in Congress, urging them to fully fund programs that serve the nation’s elderly by not relying on continuing resolutions (CR), which do not increase and fail to meet the urgent needs of this vulnerable population.
Congress needs to enact omnibus Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 appropriations legislation by the time the current continuing resolution ends on February 18 that includes all 12 subcommittee bills. Our nation continues to face the economic, health, and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Relying on long-term CRs would result in flat and therefore inadequate funding, which in turn impedes the capacity of programs providing critical services to individuals across the country.
Federally-appropriated programs are essential to helping millions of older adults age with dignity, health, and independence. These discretionary programs include, but are not limited to, those provided by the Older Americans Act (OAA) and through the Administration for Community Living (ACL), falls prevention programs, initiatives and research that address chronic disease, workforce programs both for participating older adults and professionals providing care to them, AmeriCorps Seniors, person-centered trauma informed care, and HUD’s housing programs.
In order to sustain current services throughout FY 2022, these federally appropriated programs need year-over-year increases. Without increased funding, as the FY 2022 bills provide, the programs will not have sufficient resources to continue current programs, not to mention expanding their reach to help older adults during a pandemic that has overwhelmingly impacted them.
After a decade of appropriation caps and austerity for most annually funded programs, and with the compounding impacts of the pandemic, increased investment through an omnibus appropriations bill is a critical step to address existing shortfalls and improve and expand access to services for older adults and their caregivers. This, in turn, builds a stronger and more equitable American economy. Further, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep inequities and brought to greater light our nation’s most at-risk older adults living in food, transportation, affordable housing, and health care deserts. If Congress fails to enact omnibus appropriations legislation, programs that are in desperate need of increased resources will be left with stagnant funding, restricting their ability to assist with recovery in communities and across the country.
We urge Congress to provide the highest level of funding for the programs and services that support older adults at levels that reflect the true and growing demographic and human need in communities across the country. Long-term continuing resolutions would fail to address these needs and impede recovery when our country needs it the most. We strongly urge you to enact omnibus appropriations legislation including all 12 appropriations bills as quickly as possible.
The COVID-19 pandemic has further demonstrated the desire among patients to receive care in the home and highlighted the significant shortcomings of the Medicaid HCBS program as currently conducted. Chief among theses shortcomings is continued underfunding, a less than robust set of benefits provided, and shortage of caregivers. The letter acknowledges the $190 billion included in the most recent House draft of the legislation while pointing out that it is far lower than the $400 billion President Biden originally called for. LCAO urges Congress to make the highest possible investment in HCBS.
The letter lays out support for the nearly $1.5 billion in grants for the development of the direct care workforce. These grants would go towards recruitment, education, training, retention, and career advancement. Many direct care workers live near or below the federal poverty limit yet provide services that provide invaluable services enabling others to continue lives of independence. Workforce shortages were present prior to the pandemic and have only been exacerbated since. Government intervention will be necessary to support and bolster this crucial segment of the workforce.
