The Honorable Debbie Dingell
102 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable Jan Schakowsky
2408 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Representatives Dingell and Schakowsky,
On behalf of the millions of members and supporters of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, I am writing to endorse the “Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Access Act” (H.R. 8540). Members of the National Committee come from all walks of life and every political persuasion. What unites them is their passion for protecting and strengthening Social Security, Medicare, and the other programs that are so vitally important to older Americans.
H.R 8540 aims to ensure Medicaid beneficiaries have a real choice between home-based and institutional care by putting both options on equal footing. If enacted, the proposed legislation would increase Medicaid funding for HCBS by strengthening the federal match to help states expand services, and reducing state waiting lists for services. Further, the proposed policy would invest in the direct care workforce by authorizing grant programs that are designed to improve wages and job quality, and by providing better access to training and support for family caregivers.
Researchers and experts in the aging sector have long noted that HCBS services that allow for aging in place are greatly preferred by families, and are associated with improved health outcomes and a decrease in overall health care costs (e.g., through decreased ER visits). HCBS services also promote choice, independence and social connection, thereby benefiting consumers, families, health care systems, and taxpayers.
The National Committee endorses your legislation, and we look forward to working with you to promote its enactment.
Sincerely,
Max Richtman
President and CEO