Senate Could Vote Within Days. Take Action Now.

Earlier this year, the Department of Veterans Affairs cut reimbursement rates for homemaker and home health aide services by 19 percent in New Mexico and 43 percent across much of rural Texas. Similar cuts have hit other states in recent years, making it harder for agencies to recruit and retain caregivers and putting veterans' access to home and community-based services at risk.

The U.S. Senate is expected to consider the National Defense Authorization Act (S. 4784) in the coming days. Before the bill reaches the floor, Senate leadership will decide which amendments are included in the manager's amendment, a package of amendments considered together. Getting Amendment 6414 into that package is the most important step toward passage.
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Amendment 6414 would restore VA reimbursement rates to 2025 levels, require the VA to give Congress at least 90 days' notice before future rate reductions, and increase transparency in how those rates are calculated.

TWO WAYS TO HELP IN TWO MINUTES

​HCAOA is asking members nationwide to contact the Senate Committees on Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs today. 

1

Email Both Committees

Send the Email

Prefer to copy and paste? Here's the text; you can use the button below to copy everything.

To: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

​Subject: Please Include Amendment 6414 in the NDAA Manager's Amendment
 
Dear Senators,
 
I respectfully urge you to support the inclusion of Amendment 6414 in the manager's amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (S.4784).
 
As a supporter of the Home Care Association of America (HCAOA), which represents more than 5,000 home care agencies nationwide, I believe America's veterans deserve reliable access to the home and community-based services they have earned through their service.
 
Earlier this year, the Department of Veterans Affairs reduced 2026 reimbursement rates for homemaker and home health aide services by 19% in New Mexico and 43% across most of Texas. Providers received only 45 days' notice, and the reductions were implemented without congressional oversight. Similar cuts occurred in 2025, including 36% across most of Illinois, 19% in Minnesota, 13% in Nebraska, 24% in North Dakota, 31% in South Dakota, 10% across most of Texas, and 40% in Wisconsin. These reductions have made it increasingly difficult for providers to recruit and retain caregivers, putting veterans' access to care at risk, particularly in rural communities.
 
Amendment 6414 would help address these concerns by restoring reimbursement rates to their 2025 levels while requiring the Dept. of Veterans Affairs to provide Congress with advance notice before implementing future reimbursement reductions and to disclose the methodology used to calculate those rates. These commonsense reforms would strengthen transparency, improve congressional oversight, and help protect veterans' access to care.
 
I respectfully urge you to include Amendment 6414 in the manager's amendment so veterans can continue receiving the home and community-based services they rely upon every day. Thank you for your consideration and for your continued commitment to America's veterans.

Copy Addresses and Message

2

Call Both Committees

Call Armed Services

Call Veterans Affairs

On a mobile phone? Click the buttons to call. Otherwise, dial the numbers below and use the suggested script.

Call Script
“Hello, my name is ________, and I am a home care operator and small business owner who serves veterans every day. I'm calling to urge Chairman Wicker and Chairman Moran to include Amendment 6414 in the manager's amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. This nonpartisan amendment will help protect veterans' access to home and community-based services while improving transparency and congressional oversight of VA reimbursement rates. Thank you for your consideration.”

Phone Numbers

• Senate Committee on Armed Services: (202) 224-3871
• Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs: (202) 224-9126

America's veterans deserve access to the home and community-based services they have earned through their service to our nation. Thank you for taking a few minutes to help protect veterans' access to this vital care.