In late January, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI-6) introduced legislation to expand access to home and community-based services for older adults, people with disabilities and injured workers, while increasing pay and improving benefits for caregivers.

The “Better Care Better Jobs Act” would gives states a 10 percentage point increase in federal Medicaid matching funds for services. It aims to help the “over 650,000 people on waiting lists nationally finally receive care in the setting of their choice, allowing them to stay active in their communities, and live independently,” the joint statement reads. “This legislation would also strengthen the caregiving workforce, improve quality of life for families, and boost the economy by creating good-paying jobs to make it possible for families and workers alike to thrive economically.”

President Biden’s 2022 reconciliation bill, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, had initially promised $400 billion dollars for home and community-based services. By the time the bill was passed, that amount was in tatters.

Photo: Tigercat_LPG via Creative Commons