Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS) provide vital supports for people with disabilities and older adults that enable them to live safely in their communities of choice. But both the funding and availability of HCBS fall far below its importance, leaving too many people without services to meet their needs. The institutional bias of the Medicaid program guarantees access to nursing home care, but not HCBS, despite the latter being what people want for themselves and for their loved ones.
The optional nature of HCBS funding has led to a panoply of state laws and approaches to HCBS. Far too many callers to our national helpline want HCBS but are trapped on waiting lists or cannot get the specific care they need, leaving them no option but to enter nursing homes or other congregate settings. This is especially troubling during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has demonstrated yet again that congregate settings are not just less preferred by most, but can also be dangerous.
If enacted, the HAA would greatly expand access to HCBS, helping people who need supports to stay in their communities, age in place, and live the lives they choose. The Medicaid program must be made more equitable and better meet the needs of those it serves. We are fully committed to this vision and offer the following suggestions to tweak the HAA to better achieve it.
Any changes to the Medicare program must aim for healthier people, better care, and smarter spending—not paying more for less. As policymakers debate the future of health care, we will provide our insights here.
Thinking ahead to Medicare's future, it’s important to modernize benefits and pursue changes that improve how people with Medicare navigate their coverage on a daily basis. Here are our evolving 30 policy goals for Medicare’s future.
You can help protect and strengthen Medicare by taking action on the important issues we are following, subscribe to newsletter alerts, or follow along on social media. Any way you choose to get involved is a contribution that we appreciate greatly.
Comments on the HCBS Access Act Discussion Draft
Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS) provide vital supports for people with disabilities and older adults that enable them to live safely in their communities of choice. But both the funding and availability of HCBS fall far below its importance, leaving too many people without services to meet their needs. The institutional bias of the Medicaid program guarantees access to nursing home care, but not HCBS, despite the latter being what people want for themselves and for their loved ones.
The optional nature of HCBS funding has led to a panoply of state laws and approaches to HCBS. Far too many callers to our national helpline want HCBS but are trapped on waiting lists or cannot get the specific care they need, leaving them no option but to enter nursing homes or other congregate settings. This is especially troubling during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has demonstrated yet again that congregate settings are not just less preferred by most, but can also be dangerous.
If enacted, the HAA would greatly expand access to HCBS, helping people who need supports to stay in their communities, age in place, and live the lives they choose. The Medicaid program must be made more equitable and better meet the needs of those it serves. We are fully committed to this vision and offer the following suggestions to tweak the HAA to better achieve it.
Reference
Recent Documents
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Statement for the Record on Medicare Advantage Marketing and the Enrollee Experience
Any changes to the Medicare program must aim for healthier people, better care, and smarter spending—not paying more for less. As policymakers debate the future of health care, we will provide our insights here.
Thinking ahead to Medicare's future, it’s important to modernize benefits and pursue changes that improve how people with Medicare navigate their coverage on a daily basis. Here are our evolving 30 policy goals for Medicare’s future.
You can help protect and strengthen Medicare by taking action on the important issues we are following, subscribe to newsletter alerts, or follow along on social media. Any way you choose to get involved is a contribution that we appreciate greatly.