SUPPORT Better Care Better Jobs Act, (S.100)
Introduced 1/26/2023

Sponsors: Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and 41 cosponsors (39 Democrats, 2 Independents)

Description: This bill establishes programs and provides funds for state Medicaid programs to improve HCBS, such as, personal care, case management, and rehabilitative services.

Specifically, the bill provides funds for CMS to award planning grants, develop quality measures, and provide technical assistance to states regarding specified HCBS improvements, particularly with respect to access, utilization, and the associated workforce. The bill also increases the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (i.e., federal matching rate) for HCBS in states that develop plans and meet specified benchmarks for improvements.

The bill also makes permanent (1) the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program (a grant program to help states increase the use of HCBS for long-term care and decrease the use of institutional care), and (2) certain provisions regarding Medicaid eligibility that protect against spousal impoverishment for recipients of HCBS.

AMEND Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act, S.141
Introduced 1/30/2023

Sponsors: Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) and 24 cosponsors (16 Democrats, 6 Republicans, and 2 Independents)

Description: This bill PREVIOUSLY increased the cap on how much the VA can pay for the cost of home care from 65% of the cost of nursing home care to 100%.

Unfortunately, this provision has been stripped from the Senate's version of the bill. We need your help to have it reinserted! Please CLICK HERE to send a message to your Senators asking them to include our provision in the bill.

SUPPORT Choose Home Care Act, H.R.5514
Introduced 10/08/2021

Sponsors: Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) and 44 bipartisan cosponsors (31 Democrats, 13 Republicans)
 
Description: This bill provides for coverage of home-based extended care services under Medicare.
Specifically, the bill provides for coverage of services that are furnished to Medicare beneficiaries in their homes by home health agencies, including nursing care, meals and nutritional support, home medical supplies, nonemergency medical transportation, and care coordination.

Coverage includes 30 days of post-hospital care and other periods of extended illness, as determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Home health agencies that provide such services may receive additional payments in accordance with a specified methodology.

The CMS may make payments for covered services furnished before 2022 during any period in which there is a public health emergency.

SUPPORT Credit for Caring Act, H.R.3321
Introduced 5/18/2021
 
Sponsors: Representative Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA-38) and 74 bipartisan cosponsors (63 Democrats, 11 Republicans)
 
Description: This bill allows an eligible caregiver a tax credit of up to $5,000 for 30% of the cost of long-term care expenses that exceed $2,000 in a taxable year. The bill defines eligible caregiver as an individual who has earned income for the taxable year in excess of $7,500 and pays or incurs expenses for providing care to a spouse or other dependent relative with long-term care needs.

SUPPORT Homecare for Seniors Act, H.R.1795
Introduced 3/24/2023
 
Sponsors: Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE-3) and 14 bipartisan cosponsors (10 Republicans, 4 Democrats)
 
Description: This bill allows tax-exempt distributions from health savings accounts (HSAs) to be used for qualified home care.
 
Qualified home care is defined as a contract to provide three or more of the following services in the residence of the service recipient:

• assistance with eating,
  
• assistance with toileting,
  
• assistance with transferring,
  
• assistance with bathing,
• assistance with dressing,
  
• assistance with continence, and
• medication adherence.
  

 
The Department of Health and Human Services must carry out a campaign to increase public awareness of the in-home service expenses that are eligible for tax-free distribution from HSAs.