I urge you to support permanent investments in Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) for seniors as well as children and adults with disabilities. Every state opted to receive temporary, increased Medicaid funding to enhance, expand, or strengthen HCBS. These funds are being used to support the direct care workforce, reduce HCBS waiting lists, enhance the use of technology and telehealth, and improve quality of care delivered to older adults, people with disabilities, and individuals with complex medical needs. The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated the benefit of Medicaid home-based care, which supports an individual with activities of daily living (ADLs) like bathing and dressing to enable the person to live independently and safely at home. Congress must keep in mind the lessons that have been learned in the last two years to inform the longer-term vision for how care is delivered to Medicaid beneficiaries in a fiscally responsible manner. In particular, the pandemic has shown the value of enabling individuals to remain in their home with the support of home care rather than in institutional settings, at a cost per person of less than half of nursing facility care. A permanent increased investment in HCBS will ensure fundamental change in long-term care policy and afford significant savings to state general funds and the Medicaid and Medicare programs. Thank you for your consideration.

We are asking you to consider supporting permanent investments in Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) for seniors as well as children and adults with disabilities. Every state opted to receive temporary, increased Medicaid funding to enhance, expand, or strengthen HCBS. These funds are being used to support the direct care workforce, reduce HCBS waiting lists, enhance the use of technology and telehealth, and improve quality of care delivered to older adults, people with disabilities, and individuals with complex medical needs. The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated the benefit of Medicaid home-based care, which supports an individual with activities of daily living (ADLs) like bathing and dressing to enable the person to live independently and safely at home. Congress must keep in mind the lessons that have been learned in the last two years to inform the longer-term vision for how care is delivered to Medicaid beneficiaries in a fiscally responsible manner. In particular, the pandemic has shown the value of enabling individuals to remain in their home with the support of home care rather than in institutional settings, at a cost per person of less than half of nursing facility care. A permanent increased investment in HCBS will ensure fundamental change in long-term care policy and afford significant savings to state general funds and the Medicaid and Medicare programs. Thank you for your consideration.

Please support permanent investments in Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) for seniors as well as children and adults with disabilities. Every state opted to receive temporary, increased Medicaid funding to enhance, expand, or strengthen HCBS. These funds are being used to support the direct care workforce, reduce HCBS waiting lists, enhance the use of technology and telehealth, and improve quality of care delivered to older adults, people with disabilities, and individuals with complex medical needs. The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated the benefit of Medicaid home-based care, which supports an individual with activities of daily living (ADLs) like bathing and dressing to enable the person to live independently and safely at home. Congress must keep in mind the lessons that have been learned in the last two years to inform the longer-term vision for how care is delivered to Medicaid beneficiaries in a fiscally responsible manner. In particular, the pandemic has shown the value of enabling individuals to remain in their home with the support of home care rather than in institutional settings, at a cost per person of less than half of nursing facility care. A permanent increased investment in HCBS will ensure fundamental change in long-term care policy and afford significant savings to state general funds and the Medicaid and Medicare programs. Thank you for your consideration.