Empowered at Home Act Introduced

Cosponsors Needed
August 4, 2008: The Empowered at Home Act, S. 3327, would increase the number of older adults and people with disabilities who are eligible for Medicaid coverage for adult day services and home care. Just introduced by Sens. Charles Grassley (R-IA) and John Kerry (D-MA), it now needs more cosponsors to move it forward in the Senate.

The legislation strengthens the Medicaid home and community-based state plan option under Section 1915(i) waivers by making income eligibility standards the same for Medicaid coverage of home- and community-based services and institutional care (300% of SSI). Limitations on the scope of services allowable under 1915(i) waivers would disappear, and states would no longer be able to limit the number of individuals eligible for home and community-based services. A new 1915(k) waiver would concentrate services and funding for individuals who are high risk of institutionalization. State grants also would be available for consumer-directed care. We are especially pleased that the bill promotes and protects community living with spousal impoverishment protections for home- and community-based services recipients.

Please urge your senators to sign onto this legislation to make home- and community-based services more available under the Medicaid program.
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