The Biden Administration, as part of its 2024 proposed budget, plans to allocate $150 billion for home- and community-based services over the next 10 years.
Allocating the resources to HCBS is a way for the federal government to support older Americans and those with disabilities who wish to receive personal care services in the comfort of their homes, the administration announced Thursday.
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra also made note of family caregivers in a press briefing Thursday.
“There are more than 53 million caregivers in the United States of America and together they provide for the $470 billion in unpaid care each year,” Becerra said. “But for them, $470 billion would have to be expended to provide the care that those loved ones are providing today. When we don’t provide for caregivers, it has a negative impact not just on physical and mental health, it also undermines our economy and our security to the tune of $600 billion in lost income.”
In tandem with the budget’s release was a speech on Thursday in Philadelphia from President Biden, who reiterated his support for HCBS, saying that it is cheaper to provide aging adults the ability for them to stay in their homes.
The additional funding, Becerra said, will help the U.S. recruit the next 1.3 million additional home care workers that “we will need to meet the rising demand in America.”
The proposed budget also includes resources to strengthen nursing home oversight, including $566 million for the discretionary CMS Survey and Certification Program. That’s a 40% increase above current funding, the White House reported.
Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO of LeadingAge, said in a statement shared with Home Health Care News that this is the first time in decades the federal government is committed to “meaningful action” to ensure the country’s older adults and families can get the help they need.
“America’s population is aging rapidly,” Sloan said. “More people will need services – from care in their own homes and in residential settings, to community support like affordable housing for low-income older adults. We’re encouraged that the President’s public statements of support for older adults and families are reflected in the numbers released today.”
The $6.8 trillion dollar proposed budget also includes $32 million allocated to training nurse faculty and $28 million in innovative approaches to “recruit, support and train” the next generation of health care providers.
The proposed budget includes $144.3 billion in discretionary funding and $1.7 trillion in mandatory funding for FY 2024.
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