Action Alerts
Tell Your Senators: Fund the Money Follows the Person Program
Major Recent Events
Medicaid/LTSS: House Approves MFP Extension
On January 8, the House of Representatives approved H.R.259, which extends the Money Follows the Person (MFP) Program until September 30. The MFP program has helped more than 88,000 seniors and individuals with disabilities move out of nursing homes and institutions. Independent evaluations have proven that MFP improves the quality of life for individuals and has reduced Medicaid and Medicare expenditures by approximately 23%. The Arc strongly supports reauthorization of MFP. Additionally, the bill extends Medicaid’s spousal impoverishment protection for home and community-based services beneficiaries until March 31. The spousal impoverishment protection allows the spouse of a Medicaid long term services and supports (LTSS) beneficiary to maintain a modest amount of income and resources for food, rent, and medication. The bill must now receive Senate approval. Contact your Senators using our action alert.
Budget and Appropriations: Partial Government Shutdown Continues
The partial government shutdown continues this week. Many agencies, including those under the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, remain open and are largely unaffected due to the passage of full-year appropriation bills earlier in 2018. Employees at several other agencies, including the Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, Justice, Commerce, State, and Homeland Security, are furloughed unless they are classified as “excepted.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) did not allow a vote on the omnibus appropriations bill or Homeland Security continuing resolutions passed by the House on January 3. Last week, the House passed several individual appropriations packages. McConnell has indicated that he does not intend to allow votes on these measures either. The Arc supports restoring funding for the remaining federal agencies.
Miscellaneous News: New Finance, Ways and Means Committees Members Announced
The Senate Finance Committee recently announced new members, including Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Steve Daines (R-MT), Todd Young (R-IN), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV). Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) announced the following new Democratic Members of the House Ways and Means Committee: Gwen Moore (D-WI), Dan Kildee (D-MI), Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Don Beyer (D-VA), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), and Steven Horsford (D-NV).
Announcements
Tax: California Opens Qualified ABLE Program
In December, California opened a new Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) program, bringing the total number of jurisdictions with ABLE programs to 42. The program is open to all eligible individuals nationwide. It has three investment options and a savings option. The program has an annual maintenance fee of $37 and an additional $10 annual fee for those selecting paper statements. Asset-based fees for investments options range from 0.52% to 0.54%. More information about state implementation of the ABLE Act can be found here.
