Policy Update

Peter Notarstefano

Stimulus package to help states pay for Medicaid costs. President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law on Feb. 17, 2009. The bill further extends the moratoria on the Medicaid

The time is now to call your legislators to ask them to support Adult Day services __________________

regulations until July 1, 2009. The regulations, initially scheduled to go into effect on April 1, 2009, would  have shifted about $100,000,000 of Medicaid costs to the states for targeted case management, provider taxes, school–based services, intergovernmental transfers, graduate medical education, and rehabilitation services. Also, one of the rules, the rehabilitation option, which helps the eight states that have adult day health funded under the state Medicaid plan, is on hold. Every state will receive at least a 6.2% increase in their Federal Medical Assistance Percentage from 10/1/08 through 12/31/10 in order to maintain their Medicaid services.

Support Empowered at Home Act Legislation. The Empowered at Home Act (S. 434) was reintroduced in the U.S. Senate by Sens. Charles Grassley (R-IA) and John Kerry (D-MA). This legislation would improve Medicaid coverage of adult day services by giving states more flexibility in determining eligibility. Among other provisions, states would be able to increase access to HCBS to prevent, delay, or decrease the use of nursing home care. States also would be able to offer spousal impoverishment protection eligibility for the use of community-based services. NADSA members should contact their Senators to urge them to support this legislation.

President Obama signs 2009 Omnibus Spending bill. On March 11, 2009, President Obama signed a $410 billion Fiscal Year 2009 omnibus spending package. The legislation includes funding increases in a number of programs that fund adult day services, including Social Service Block Grants (SSBGs) funded at $1.7 billion, and a total budget for the Administration on Aging (AoA) of nearly $1.5 billion (about a 5.1% increase over 2008). There is also $2.5 million for the Lifespan Respite Act program that will help local Area Agencies on Aging improve respite services for older adults. 

Urge President Obama and the Congress to increase funding for Adult Day Services for 2010. NADSA supports a 12% increase in funding for the FY 2010 Budget for Older Americans Act programs, especially programs that fund adult day services, such as the National Family Caregivers Program and Title III B Supportive Services.  NADSA is also asking Congress to restore funding for Social Service Block grants to $2.8 billion, another source of funding for adult day services. NADSA is requesting that the Lifespan Respite program be funded at $71.1 million for FY 2010. Please contact your member of Congress to promote increased funding for Older Americans Act programs.

Resolution calls for National Long-term Care Strategy. Representative Alcee L. Hastings of Florida introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives recognizing the need to support the development and enforcement of a well-informed national long-term care strategy to solve the problems of cost, quality, and access to long-term care in the home and community, and the imperativeness of including long-term care in the comprehensive health care reform agenda. Rep. Hastings mentions Adult Day Care Programs as one of the programs that is part of the long-term services and support system. Click here to read the resolution.

Community Choice Act would increase access to ADS. The Community Choice Act, legislation sponsored by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL), was introduced in both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House. This legislation, if passed, would allow people with disabilities who need an institutional level of care the choice of receiving their services and supports in their own communities, rather than in an institution. NADSA members should contact their Senators to urge them to support this legislation.