Dingell, Colleagues Slam Administration for Funding Cuts to Home Care for Seniors

U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) and five of her House Democratic colleagues called out the Trump Administration for threatening to restrict Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) that provide support to older Americans and people with disabilities, providing a less expensive option for both families and the federal government. In a letter to Mehmet Oz, the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the lawmakers stressed that millions of Americans rely on HCBS, and that cuts to these services would threaten access to necessary care.

"More than 8.4 million people with disabilities and older adults rely on HCBS to live and age independently in their homes and communities, and they - along with their families and workers that make care possible - cannot afford cuts, reductions, or frozen funding to these life-saving services," the lawmakers said.

Congresswoman Dingell and the lawmakers rejected any implication that increased demand for HCBS constituted evidence of fraud. They also underscored how recent CMS actions to withhold and defer billions of dollars in Medicaid to fund tax cuts for big corporations is straining state budgets.

"Growth in Medicaid spending reflects the needs of a rapidly growing population that requires care, and decades of progress to ensure people can live, age, and work with dignity in their homes and communities," they said. "Cuts to Medicaid harm people with disabilities, older adults, family caregivers, and workers which Medicaid is intended to support."

In addition to Congresswoman Dingell, the effort is supported by U.S. Representatives Kim Schrier (D-WA-08), Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ-07), Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12), Troy Carter (D-LA-02), Nanette Barragan (D-CA-44)

A copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below:

Dear Administrator Oz:

This letter is regarding the actions being taken by this Administration that threaten to restrict Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS), which will ultimately harm people with disabilities and older adults. More than 8.4 million people with disabilities and older adults rely on HCBS to live and age independently in their homes and communities, and they - along with their families and workers that make care possible - cannot afford cuts, reductions, or frozen funding to these life-saving services.

We are concerned by continued attacks on Medicaid, including actions by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that undermine HCBS. We reject the implication that increased demand for HCBS, including behavioral health services and other integral services for people with disabilities, or the growth in the number of direct care workers is evidence of fraud.

HCBS are essential supports that help older adults and people with disabilities with day-to-day activities such as bathing, dressing, managing medication, and participation in employment. More than one in four people in the U.S. have disabilities, and across the country, more than one in five adults receive ongoing support with everyday functional needs for aging and disability care. Family caregivers and direct care workers are also supported through Medicaid to provide life-saving, essential care. Growth in Medicaid spending reflects the needs of a rapidly growing population that requires care, and decades of progress to ensure people can live, age, and work with dignity in their homes and communities- which they often prefer- rather than costly institutional settings, often saving the government money.

Cuts to Medicaid harm people with disabilities, older adults, family caregivers, and workers which Medicaid is intended to support. States are already facing difficult decisions as they face more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other public services to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest and big corporations. At least 10 states - including Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Missouri, and Washington - have proposed eliminating or reducing some HCBS funding as they grapple with increasingly constrained budgets. Recent CMS actions to withhold and defer billions of dollars in Medicaid funds from Minnesota, including HCBS, further strain state budgets and threaten access to care.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.