Biden Picks New Lead for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

​On Friday February 19, President Biden officially announced the nomination of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to serve as the lead of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

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​She previously served as a senior CMS official under the Obama administration and worked for the House Ways and Means Committee. In addition, she would be the first Black woman to hold the post if her nomination is confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

The Home Care Association, which represents more than 3,500 home care agencies across the country, looks forward to having an open dialogue with the new CMS Administrator.  Our hope is that long term services and supports continues to receive the attention it deserves as this country’s aging population soars and critical challenges exist from workforce shortages and inconsistent standards to a myriad of state and Medicaid programs aimed at assisting older citizens and individuals with disabilities.   
 
It has been proven that providing services and supports in people’s homes can have a significant impact on the quality of life of thousands of older Americans and people with disabilities, while also being more cost effective than the alternatives.  For too long, in-home care has not been recognized for the valuable contribution home care agencies provide in helping people remain in their own homes as they age. 
 
We hope that President Biden’s nominee, Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, will make caring for older Americans a priority, which will send a loud signal to this country that it’s time to demonstrate our respect for older Americans and their right to remain as independent as possible by building a national comprehensive long term services and supports system.