Tell Congress to Make Expansion of Home- and Community-Based Services a Priority

From Moms Rising (https://www.momsrising.org/):

As parents, we all want our children to grow up as healthy as possible and find their place in the world. We want our babies to thrive as they become children, teenagers, and eventually adults, and to be wholly included in our communities.

But for many families who have kids and adults with disabilities, this shared hope can be a monumental struggle without the right kind of support and services. That’s why we need Congress to take action to improve our long-term care system to enable kids and people with disabilities, as well as older adults, to live safely at home and thrive in their communities.

*Quick signature at https://action.momsrising.org/sign/hcbs_2021: Tell Congress to make expansion of Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) a priority. *When you click, you’ll automatically sign on if we already have your information.

What’s happening? Home- and Community-based services (HCBS) are mainly covered under Medicaid and are typically not covered under Medicare or private insurance. However, while state Medicaid programs are required to cover care in institutional settings like nursing homes, their Medicaid-funded HCBS programs—which enable people who need services to stay in their homes and communities—have limited spots available leaving nearly one million people on waiting lists. [1] This leaves many families facing the difficult choice of whether to provide the needed care themselves or institutionalize their loved one so they can receive the support needed, even though the vast majority prefer to receive care at home. [2] Access to HCBS affords disabled people of all ages the civil rights they are entitled to—the self-determination to choose where they want to live. [3]

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated just how important it is for families to have the option to keep their loved ones at home, given the large number of COVID-19 deaths in congregate settings, including nursing homes. The American Rescue Plan which passed earlier this year included a temporary provision to increase the federal match rate for HCBS by 10% to build capacity in state HCBS. [4] While this is a good start, much more is needed in order to address the needs of people with disabilities and the inequities that exist in long-term services and support programs across the country after decades of lack of investment in the HCBS infrastructure.

Right now, we have a historic opportunity to invest in the care infrastructure that our families and communities need to thrive and prosper—and increasing funding for HCBS must be included. This funding can help clear the Medicaid wait lists for home and community-based care and assist people in moving from large congregate settings back into their homes and communities. Additional funding will also help to begin to address the significant race and population-based inequities that often occur with access to HCBS, as well as the pay inequities for direct care workers who are most often women of color and immigrants. [5]

Add your name! Tell Congress to include $400 billion for Home- and Community-Based Services as part of our care infrastructure.

When you click, you’ll automatically sign on to our letter that reads:

Dear Members of Congress,

Right now, we have a historic opportunity to invest in the care infrastructure that our families and communities need to thrive and prosper—and increasing funding for Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) must be included. A substantial increase for HCBS will enable states to clear their Medicaid waiting lists for home- and community-based care, assist people in moving from large congregate settings back into their homes and communities, and improve job quality for home care workers. Additionally, it will begin to address the significant race and population-based inequities that often occur with access to HCBS.

This expansion of funding should require states to raise job quality (i.e. wages, benefits, access to training, and career pathways) for direct care workers, most of whom are women of color and immigrants. It should also create a home care worker pipeline through legalization of qualified undocumented home care workers to help address the care gap and create a robust care worker pipeline.

Please make expansion of HCBS a priority by including $400 billion for Home- and Community-Based Services as part of our care infrastructure.

Don’t forget to add your name! Tell congress to increase funding for HCBS! *When you click, you’ll automatically sign on if we already have your information.

The more people who speak out, the bigger our impact. Please take a moment to forward our action link to your friends and family and share it on social media: https://action.momsrising.org/sign/hcbs_2021/

Together we are a powerful voice for the health of families.

[1] U.S. News & World Report, Disability Advocates Press Lawmakers for Better Home-Based Services
[2] Justice in Aging, Medicaid Home-and Community-Based Services for Older Adults with Disabilities: A Primer
[3] Little Lobbyists, Caregiving Is Infrastructure
[4] Kaiser Family Foundation, Potential Impact of Additional Federal Funds for Medicaid HCBS for Seniors and People with Disabilities
[5] National Health Law Program, Disability, Race, and Structural Inequity: COVID-19 and the Long-Term Care Workforce