Medicare at Home Act

From our friends at Justice in Aging: Long-term care is one of the most significant expenses older adults and their families face. Yet, Medicare does not provide a comprehensive, accessible home care benefit. As a result, far too many older adults are forced to spend down their savings
and fall into poverty to access essential care.

Last week, Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) introduced the Medicare at Home Act (H.R.10020/S. 5270), which would take a major step towards ensuring Medicare fulfills one of the greatest needs older adults who rely on the program expect it to.

The Medicare at Home Act would add a personal care benefit to Medicare Part B, helping older adults get the assistance they need with daily activities before they experience financial hardship. The new benefit would work alongside the existing Medicare home health benefit, and Medicaid home-based care coverage would remain available for those who need it. 

Justice in Aging also supports the HCBS Access Act, which would transform Medicaid long-term care by making home and community-based services (HCBS) a comprehensive and universally covered Medicaid benefit. The HCBS Access Act (S.5321/H.R. 8540) was reintroduced in the Senate by Sens. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) and Kaine (D-VA) last week and in the House by Reps. Dingell and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) in April. 

Both the Medicare at Home Act and the HCBS Access Act would make enormous strides towards ensuring older adults can age in dignity, and we are committed to working with Congress to enact these overdue investments in long-term care.