From DC is Justice in Growing older’s weekly roundup of nationwide information and assets about points impacting older adults. To obtain From DC in your inbox as quickly as its printed, join our mailing listing.
Right here’s what we’re watching in Washington:
Advocates Ask SSA and CMS for HR 1 Medicare Eligibility Restrictions Implementation Data
Justice in Growing older joined the Middle for Medicare Advocacy, the Nationwide Immigration Legislation Middle, and Refugee Council USA on a Freedom of Info Act (FOIA) request to the Social Safety Administration (SSA) and the Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Providers (CMS) searching for data associated to implementation of Medicare eligibility restrictions for noncitizens enacted underneath H.R. 1.
An estimated 100,000 lawfully current immigrants can have their Medicare eligibility taken away underneath the brand new regulation, which restricts noncitizen eligibility for Medicare to authorized everlasting residents (inexperienced card holders), sure Cuban and Haitian immigrants, and folks residing within the U.S. underneath a Compact of Free Affiliation (COFA migrants). Individuals with Short-term Protected Standing (TPS) and different lawfully current immigrants are now not eligible regardless of having lived and labored within the U.S. for many years.
Though these restrictions for brand new Medicare enrollees took impact instantly on July 4, 2025, SSA and CMS haven’t up to date steering or issued details about how the regulation might be applied. The FOIA request seeks expedited manufacturing of data to offer transparency and to keep away from confusion, worry, and pointless lack of well being care.
Be taught extra concerning the modifications to Medicare in Justice in Growing older’s Older Immigrants and Medicare problem transient. Advocates also can study different provisions of H.R. 1 that influence older adults’ entry to well being and long-term care in our explainer and timeline.
CMS Opens Utility for Rural Well being Transformation Fund
On Monday, CMS launched info on how states can apply to obtain funding from the Rural Well being Transformation Program (RHT) approved underneath H.R. 1. RHT supplies $50 billion for state grants, with funding to be distributed in $10 billion increments starting in fiscal 12 months 2026 via 2030.
The regulation specifies half of the funding might be distributed equally amongst all states with an accredited software. (DC and the U.S. territories usually are not eligible.) CMS has discretion on the right way to allocate the remaining half of funding to states. The deadline for states to use is November 5, 2025, and CMS plans to announce approvals by December 31, 2025.
States are participating with stakeholders now to assemble suggestions on grant functions and the way states ought to make investments any future funding. As a lot of the deal with RHT has been on rural hospitals, it will be important for advocates to induce their states to incorporate funding for home-and community-based companies and different applications that older adults depend on of their functions and spending plans.
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