SUPPORT Elizabeth Dole Home and Community Based Services for Veterans and Caregivers Act, H.R.6823
Introduced 02/25/2022

Sponsors: Representative Julia Brownley (D-CA-26) and 30 bipartisan cosponsors (25 Democrats, 5 Republicans)

Description: This bill increases 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%. The bill also:

• Expands access to home and community-based services for veterans living in US territories and to Native veterans enrolled in IHS or tribal health programs

• Coordinates expanded VA home care programs with other VA programs, like the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers, and other federal programs, like Medicare’s PACE program
• Reviews existing service gaps in geriatric and extended care at the VA
• Establishes a pilot project to address home health aide shortages
• Provides respite care to caregivers of veterans enrolled in home care programs
• Establishes a “one stop shop” webpage to centralize information for families and veterans on programs available
• Requires the VA to provide a coordinated handoff for veterans and caregivers denied or discharged from the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers into any other home care program they may be eligible for

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

Sponsors: Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) and 40 bipartisan cosponsors (27 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 05/18/2021
 
Sponsors: Representative Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA-38) and 69 bipartisan cosponsors (61 Democrats, 8 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.2898
Introduced 04/28/2021
 
Sponsors: Representative Katie Porter (D-CA-45) and 41 bipartisan cosponsors (25 Democrats, 16 Republicans)
 
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.

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