Policy Corner: June 14, 2019

House Debates FY 2020 Spending Bill for Labor-HHS-Education 

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives began debate on H.R. 2740, which funds the Departments of Labor-Health and Human Services (HHS)-Education; Legislative Branch; Defense; State-Foreign Operations; and Energy and Water Development starting Oct. 1. The House debated 106 amendments June 12-13 and will continue debating the spending bill on Monday, June 17. The bill includes an additional $1 million for a total of $12.321 million for the HHS’ Administration for Community Living (ACL) TBI Program that awards grants to protection & advocacy (P&A) systems and to states to improve service delivery. The committee recommended level funding for the ACL NIDILRR research program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Injury Center TBI program. The bill also includes an additional $2 million for CDC’s Injury Control Research Centers for a total of $11 million; an additional $1 million for the CDC elderly falls prevention program for a total of $3.05 million; and $25 million for firearm injury and mortality prevention research.

BIAA Sponsors Briefing on ABI among the Military and Civilian Populations

On Wed., June 19, Susan H. Connors, President and CEO of the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA), will moderate a briefing organized by BIAA, “Not Just TBI and Concussion: Acquired Brain Injury’s Impact on the Military and Civilian Populations.” This briefing will examine acquired brain injury (ABI) in the military and civilian populations and as a result of the opioid crisis and intimate partner violence. The briefing will be held at 9:30-11:00am in Room 2020, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C.

The House Agrees to Move the MFP Bill

This week, Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) introduced H.R. 3253, the Empowering Beneficiaries, Ensuring Access, and Strengthening Accountability Act of 2019, to fund the Money Follows the Person (MFP) and Spousal Impoverishment Protections four and half years. The sponsors are hoping for passage on suspension next Tuesday, June 18. The MPF program provides monetary incentives to states to offer Medicaid home and community-based options in lieu of institutional and nursing facility level of care.

On Tues., June 18, the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Long-term Services and Supports (LTSS) Task Force, the Disability and Aging Collaborative (DAC), and the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO) Health Committee, in conjunction with Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), are hosting a policy briefing, “Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services,” in the John D. Dingell Room, 2123 Rayburn House Office Building at 3:00–4:30pm (ET). The briefing will focus on the importance of Medicaid-funded Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) and legislation that supports infrastructure to deliver these services.

Senators Secure Secret CMS Documents from on Poorly Performing Nursing Homes

Following an inquiry by U.S. Senators Bob Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) into under-performing nursing homes, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently handed over an unreleased list of facilities with a documented pattern of poor care. CMS oversees a program for nursing homes that consistently underperform, called the Special Focus Facility program. The names of the facilities chosen to participate in the program are made public, however, the approximately 400 nursing homes that are not selected to participate are kept hidden from the public. In order to provide greater transparency to individuals and families, Senators Casey and Toomey requested the names of these additional facilities be made publicly available by CMS. After CMS chose not to release this list, Senators Casey and Toomey are releasing this information alongside a report with additional background and context. Click here to read the list. 

Lawmakers Plan to Introduce the “Access to Free Speech for All Act”

The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) and the Autistic Self Advocacy Network(ASAN) are advocating for “The Access to Free Speech for All Act”, which would create three to five training, technical assistance, and research centers to increase the awareness of the needs for augmentative and alternative communication devices and services. The bill, which will soon be introduced, would also increase the skills of professionals and support staff necessary to evaluate and provide communication services, and other supports to individuals with significant disabilities affecting communication to enable those individuals to obtain increased or improved education participation, academic skills, employment and self-advocacy.

Senator Casey to Sponsor Bill to Reauthorize Assistive Technology Act

Senator Bob Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.) is expected to sponsor legislation to reauthorize the Assistive Technology Act to support state efforts to improve the provision of assistive technology to individuals with disabilities through a comprehensive statewide continuum of integrated activities for individuals with disabilities of all ages; to increase the availability of access to the provision of, and training about assistive technology devices and services; and for other purposes.

BIAA gratefully acknowledges the Centre for Neuro Skills and Avanir Pharmaceuticals for their support for legislative action.