State Legislative Action
Adult day services is on the public policy agenda of most every state in the United States as advocates seek to help sustain equitable laws and funding for this valuable community-based service that keeps people living in their homes and communities for as long as possible. NADSA members can read more in the Library about current legislation among the states.
Adult Day Achievement Act
Rep. Barbara Lee D-CA and Sen. Bob Casey D-PA introduced the Adult Day Achievement Act that would establish a grant program and fund research on developing specialized Adult Day programs that serve younger adults suffering from a disability as a result of a neurological disease or condition like multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease or traumatic brain injury (TBI). We hope that as an advocate for quality aging services you’ll take this opportunity to connect with your legislator, and ask them to co-sponsor the Adult day Achievement Center Act. Please to urge your member of Congress to support HR 883 in the House and S 495 in the Senate.
The MS Society released a recent report assessing outcomes for people with MS in Adult Day Programs. The researchers from RTI describe best practices for determining outcomes and benefits in adult day service centers that offer services for individuals with Multiple Sclerosis. Read the report here.
Medicare Adult Day Services Bill
The Medicare Adult Day Services Bill of 2012 (H.R. 6476) was introduced by Representative Sanchez (D-CA) on September 24, 2012. This legislation builds on a previous Bill, H.R. 3043, introduced by Representative Sanchez in 2009. The previous Bill included 98 co-sponsors from 30 states + Guam. The Bill needed additional support in order to pass.
The Health Care Reform Bill increased the number of people eligible for Medicaid services such as adult day. Below is an overview of other ways the bill improves access to adult day services.
- Community First Choice option – 6% additional federal funding to States for home and community-based services that provide personal care
- Extension of Money Follows the Person demonstration to 2016, and the residency eligibility is changed from six months to three months in a nursing home.
- Spousal Medicaid eligibility for Home and Community-based services are now the same as nursing home eligibility
- 1915 (i) eligibility increases to 300% of SSI over a five-year period
- States will receive additional funding for the expansion of Medicaid to 133%
- Expands Aging and Disability Resource Centers to improve access to services
- Community Living Assistance and Support – CLASS Act provision establishes a national insurance trust that in 5 years will pay for services like adult day.
- Demonstration projects on transitional care and hospital re-admissions that could involve adult day services
Please note that the provision for the National Family Caregiver program did not make it into the signed bill.