HCBS Relief Act would provide emergency funding for HCBS
As American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds allocated for Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS) programs continue to run out, disability services advocates are celebrating the introduction of a new plan to extend emergency relief funding.
The HCBS Relief Act was introduced in October and, if it passes, would provide state Medicaid agencies with a 10-point increase in their federal Medicaid match. This means, for two years, agencies would have more funding from the federal government for initiatives that increase access to Medicaid HCBS for the most vulnerable members of our communities.
According to the proposed HCBS Relief Act, emergency funds could be used for:
- increasing pay or benefits for caregivers.
- funding recruitment efforts.
- supporting family caregivers.
- reducing time spent on waitlists for eligible participants.
ARPA, a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package offered a similar federal match bump for state Medicaid agencies administering HCBS programs, passed back in 2021. That relief package allocated a one-time payment to Medicaid agencies who had proposals approved for spending in the areas of increasing HCBS program eligibility, strengthening oversight of programs and accelerating long-term services and supports (LTSS) reform and innovation. States with approved proposals have until March 2025 to use the funds.
Advocates for those with disabilities are applauding the new, proposed HCBS Relief Act. For David Goldfarb, director of long-term services and supports (LTSS) policy at The Arc, this bill is crucial to mitigate the impacts of the “catastrophic shortages of direct care workers.”
“Without access to basic support for daily living, disabled people are at risk of being confined, isolated, and neglected in institutions or trapped in their homes,” Goldfarb said in a news release from the Arc, a national non-profit dedicated to helping those with disabilities live in their homes and communities. “The HCBS Relief Act would support and strengthen their daily lives, while also improving health, economic stability and quality of life for their families and direct care workers.”
Similarly, LeadingAge CEO, Katie Smith Sloan, said this bill is “massively needed to keep the country’s ability to support older adults intact.” LeadingAge is a community of providers and organizations serving older adults.
The health and human services provider shortage has been a problem for several years, and has created significant challenges in the delivery of care in the years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, recent surveys have found provider organizations are unable to meet the growing demand for HCBS services, leaving many eligible participants on long waitlists. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, in a recent survey, dozens of states reported to have staffing shortages across a variety of service areas, including home health aides (47 states), case managers (45 states), community-based mental health providers (38 states) and occupational, physical and speech therapy providers (35 states).
The HCBS Relief Act was introduced by U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). According to a press release from his office, he hopes the legislation will mitigate the country’s current caregiving crisis and further support disabled seniors seeking to live and receive care at home and in their communities.
