“I chose to live independently because I’ve always been independent.” This is how Alene, a 75-year old resident of Jacksonville, Florida, describes her choice to receive Medicaid services at home, rather than enter a nursing facility. Several years ago, Alene lost the ability to walk and relies on Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) for personal care and light housekeeping. Alene says, “These services are my lifeline. Without these services, my quality of life and dignity would be greatly diminished.” Today marks the 22nd anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision recognizing the right of people with disabilities of all ages to live, work, and participate in their communities. Medicaid HCBS makes Olmstead a reality for nearly 5 million people, including Alene. Unfortunately, the current HCBS system does not have the capacity to meet the full need for services in the community for aging adults and people with disabilities. But Congress can change that by investing in the HCBS infrastructure to expand services, support the direct care workforce, and create more of these jobs. President Biden’s American Jobs Plan calls for a $400 billion investment in the Medicaid HCBS system. This investment would be transformative and ensure that more older adults like Alene and people with disabilities of all ages can choose to live independently in the community. Now it is up to Congress to put this investment into law! Call your Senators and Representatives at (202) 224-3121 and ask them to honor Olmstead by investing $400 billion in Medicaid HCBS. Join the conversation on Social Media using #CareCantWait and #Olmstead. |
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