Downriver Today

Debbie Dingell was mentioned in IN RECOGNITION OF THE CARE ECONOMY AND IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES..... on pages E648-E649 covering the 1st Session of the 117th Congress published on June 15, 2021 in the Congressional Record.

The publication is reproduced in full below:

IN RECOGNITION OF THE CARE ECONOMY AND IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING HOME

AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES

______

HON. DEBBIE DINGELL

of michigan

in the house of representatives

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Mrs. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the importance of the care economy and the need for significant investment in home and community-based services to meet the needs of seniors, people with disabilities, and caregivers who serve them.

The vast majority of America's seniors and people with disabilities prefer to receive long-term services and supports in the home or in the community. However, there are currently significant roadblocks to quality, accessible home and community-based services. Many HCBS are provided through Medicaid, which has restrictive eligibility criteria and often has long waitlists for these services. Additionally, the direct care workforce that provides HCBS face low pay and few if any benefits, resulting in high turnover that impacts the services they provide. As a result, far too many Americans are unable to access to quality, affordable home and community-based services. While the American Rescue Plan provided important resources for Medicaid HCBS to meet the immediate needs of the pandemic, more comprehensive reforms are needed to ensure that all Americans can live with dignity in the setting of their choosing.

The Biden American Jobs Plan will help meet this need by providing

$400 billion for quality home and community-based services for seniors and people with disabilities. This investment will transform the care economy by investing in the HCBS workforce, allowing them to receive pay and benefits commensurate with the work they provide. It will allow seniors and people with disabilities to receive the high-quality care they need in the setting of their choosing. More importantly, it will provide dignity for all who participate in the care economy.

I urge my colleagues to support the American Jobs Plan and this historic investment in the care economy.

SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 104

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