From DC is Justice in Growing old’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 record.
Right here’s what we’re watching in Washington:
CBO Rating of Closing Funds Invoice Affirms Devastating Cuts to Medicaid and SNAP
This week, the Congressional Funds Workplace (CBO) printed its price estimate for the Funds Reconciliation Act (H.R. 1) as signed into regulation. This regulation makes the biggest cuts to Medicaid and SNAP meals help in historical past.
It is going to take well being protection from 10 million folks, together with many older adults and other people with disabilities. A further 5 million persons are estimated to lose their Inexpensive Care Act (ACA) Market protection due to the expiration of enhanced premium tax credit. With out these tax credit, older adults will face skyrocketing premiums.
Whereas the CBO rating confirms the deep nature of those cuts within the closing invoice, it additionally highlights that our collective advocacy pressured Congress to take away sure insurance policies that can defend the well being protection of two million folks.
Be taught extra in our evaluation of the Medicaid and Medicare provisions of the ultimate invoice impacting low-income older adults, and register for our webinar on H.R. 1 on August thirteenth.
Be a part of us in the present day for the ultimate day of the 60-hour vigil to guard Medicaid, adopted by Households First rallies tomorrow throughout the U.S.
Yesterday, the Trump Administration issued a new Govt Order (EO) selling the involuntary institutionalization of people who find themselves unhoused and have psychological well being circumstances. Amongst different directives, the EO instructs the Legal professional Normal to hunt the reversal of federal and state judicial precedents that restrict the civil dedication of individuals with psychological well being points.
The EO additionally orders the U.S. Division of Housing and City Growth (HUD) to find out whether or not HUD funding could also be prioritized for localities that criminalize homelessness, and it directs HUD to finish help for “Housing First” insurance policies in its homeless help packages.
Housing First is a confirmed mannequin that prioritizes entry to everlasting housing with supportive providers, akin to psychological well being therapy. This method is predicated on proof that when folks have housing, they will extra successfully interact in providers to enhance their well being and housing stability.
Older adults are the fastest-growing group amongst folks experiencing homelessness. This EO fails to deal with the basis causes of homelessness, together with the nation’s extreme lack of inexpensive housing and community-based providers for low-income households. Current unprecedented cuts to Medicaid and proposed cuts to federal rental help will solely worsen the homelessness disaster for older adults.
Justice in Growing old will monitor this EO’s impression on older adults and can share developments with our community.
CMS Making Efforts to Disenroll People in A couple of Medicaid or ACA Program
The Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Companies (CMS) not too long ago introduced actions to terminate protection for people who look like improperly enrolled in a number of Medicaid or Inexpensive Care Act (ACA) plans. CMS states it has already recognized 2.8 million individuals who look like enrolled in Medicaid in a number of states or each Medicaid and an ACA Market plan with premium tax credit.
The reconciliation invoice handed by Congress earlier this month provides CMS new authority to compile lists of individuals enrolled in Medicaid in a number of states and requires states to take corrective motion, together with termination. It doesn’t require any discover or course of protections for enrollees. On the identical time, the regulation blocks provisions of the Streamlining Medicaid Eligibility and Enrollment Rule designed to forestall improper terminations.
CMS has already despatched notices to people they recognized as enrolled in each Medicaid and an ACA plan with premium tax credit, requiring them to take corrective actions or have their premium tax credit terminated inside 30 days.
Advocates are involved the info‐matching sources utilized by CMS, together with the restricted timeline for notifying and disenrolling people, might result in eligible people being improperly disenrolled from their Medicaid or ACA protection.
Please contact Justice in Growing old in the event you discover people having their protection improperly terminated on account of these efforts.
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