Author: Aditya Kumar

On Tuesday, as part of a larger piece of legislation, the House approved the budget resolution that will enable lawmakers to move forward with writing the broad “human infrastructure” package to enact much of President Biden’s American Jobs and American Families Plans. The 220–212 party-line vote came after days of delays, with a small group of moderate Democrats threatening to vote against the budget resolution if the House did not first vote on the traditional infrastructure package passed by the Senate earlier this month. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) ultimately brokered a compromise including a commitment that the House would consider the infrastructure bill by September 27, following passage of the budget resolution and substantive work on the human infrastructure package itself. That legislative package, which will need to pass the Senate with just the votes of the 50 Democratic senators under the “budget reconciliation” process, is expected to include the proposed expansion of home- and community-based services (HCBS) with $400 billion in funding and currently has an overall cost of $3.5 billion. However, because Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) continue to state that they will not support the package at its current cost, negotiations continue on the cost and content of the package. Finalizing the bill is expected to take several more weeks at least.

Lutheran Services in America continues to advocate for the inclusion of key provisions of the President’s proposals in the reconciliation package, particularly the $400 billion HCBS investment (which is outlined in the Better Care Better Jobs Act, S. 2210/H.R. 4131) and a provision for $213 billion for affordable housing and homelessness services, and is urging the inclusion of the WORK NOW Act legislation (S. 740) to provide nonprofit health and human services organizations funding to pay wages, salaries, and benefits to retain staff and meet services’ demand. Please join us in this effort through our advocacy alert calling for inclusion of these key initiatives in the package.

By Sarah Dobson, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy

As part of our mission to transform lives, our network is committed to honoring all with dignity and respect, recognizing the diversity of people and communities. We uphold this principle for everyone in this country, no matter their background. It should then come as no surprise that Lutheran Services in America members have been actively engaged in the humanitarian effort to resettle refugees from Afghanistan here in the United States following our nation’s withdrawal.

Ascentria Care Alliance in Worcester, Massachusetts, is focused on assisting Afghan families by expanding access to housing and affordable legal assistance and providing living essentials. With the help of the local community, Ascentria aims at resettling families across Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

As part of its effort to help evacuees, Ascentria is calling on Gov. Charlie Baker and state lawmakers to make funds from the American Rescue Plan and the state’s budget surplus available for allocation toward services for Afghans seeking relocation. Current funds from the federal government are not enough to completely cover the cost of resettlement in Massachusetts where affordable housing is harder to come by, said Aimee Mitchell, chief of community service for Ascentria, in an interview with NBC Boston.

Ascentria has successfully resettled 330 refugees from Afghanistan over the past seven years. We applaud the team at Ascentria for their conviction—their commitment is needed now more than ever.

Ascentria Care Alliance is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.

Learn more about Ascentria Care Alliance and help support their efforts.

Following the approval by the House of Representatives in late August of the budget resolution containing instructions for writing the broad “human infrastructure” package to enact much of President Biden’s American Jobs and American Families Plans, the various House committees with jurisdiction over portions of the package have moved forward with crafting legislative language, in conjunction with their Senate counterparts. Numerous committees have held sessions this week to consider parts of the bill. A highlight for our network in the legislation in its current form is $1.48 billion to fund strategies to recruit and retain direct care workers, including raising wages and creating training opportunities to help address the direct care workforce shortage. Nonprofits “with experience in aging, disability, supporting the rights and interests of direct care workers, or training or educating direct care workers” would be eligible for the funding.

Democratic party leaders continue to express optimism that the House will vote on a package the last week of September, with relatively quick Senate approval to follow, but the process remains complicated by the continued disagreement within the party on what the final cost of the package should be, and what should be included. Notably, Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) continue to state that they will not support the package at its current cost.

We continue to advocate in support of key provisions of the President’s proposals, particularly the $400 billion HCBS investment and a provision for $213 billion for affordable housing and homelessness services, and are urging the inclusion of the WORK NOW Act legislation to provide nonprofit health and human services organizations funding to pay wages, salaries, and benefits to retain staff and meet services’ demand. Please join us in this effort through our advocacy alert calling for inclusion of these key initiatives in the package.

By Sarah Dobson, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy

Congressional Committees Move Forward with Drafting “Human Infrastructure” Package, Path to Passage Remains Challenging

Congressional committees have moved forward with crafting legislative language for the broad “human infrastructure” package. Democratic party leaders are optimistic that the House will vote on a package the last week of September, with relatively quick Senate approval to follow, but the process remains complicated due to continued disagreement within the party on the final cost of the package and what should be included.

A highlight for our network in the legislation in its current form is $1.48 billion to fund strategies to recruit and retain direct care workers, including raising wages and creating training opportunities to help address the direct care workforce shortage. A $190 billion investment in home- and community-based services is also included, falling short of the $400 billion proposed by the President. Congressional champions are continuing to fight for an increase in this funding, and Lutheran Services in America continues to advocate for the higher amount.

Please join us in this effort through our advocacy alert.

HHS to Release Additional $25.5 Billion in COVID-19 Provider Funding

The Department of Health and Human Services announced it will be making available to health care providers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic an additional $25.5 billion: $8.5 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) resources for providers who serve rural Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or Medicare patients, and an additional $17 billion for Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Phase 4 for a broad range of providers who can document revenue loss and expenses associated with the pandemic. The application portal will open on September 29.

To expedite the application process, providers will apply for both programs in a single application. PRF Phase 4 payments will be based on providers’ lost revenues and expenditures between July 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021. Additionally, PRF Phase 4 will reimburse smaller providers at a higher rate compared to larger providers and will include bonus payments for providers who serve Medicaid, CHIP, and/or Medicare patients. Lutheran Services in America will provide more information, as well as a link to the portal, when it is created.

Biden Administration Expands Proposed Vaccination Mandate to Cover All Medicare/Medicaid Health Care Facilities

The Biden Administration on September 9 announced that previously announced proposed emergency regulations requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for nursing home workers will be expanded to cover all staff within any Medicare- or Medicaid-certified facility. This includes hospitals, dialysis facilities, ambulatory surgical settings, and home health agencies, among others. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is developing an Interim Final Rule and expects to publish it in October with a Public Comment Period. Lutheran Services in America is seeking additional feedback opportunities for affected providers like our members and will issue updates as we receive them, along with more information about how to comment when the rule is published.

Upcoming Congressional Town Hall Meetings

Members of Congress continue to hold virtual town hall meetings to address constituent concerns about coronavirus relief. Here is a look at upcoming sessions (click links below to find out how to join):

By Sarah Dobson, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy

Congress Continues to Finalize “Human Infrastructure” Package, Path to Passage Remains Challenging

Congressional leaders in both the House and the Senate continue their efforts to finalize the broad “human infrastructure” package they will consider under the budget reconciliation process. Democratic party leaders hope to be able to hold a House vote on the package as soon as possible, with relatively quick Senate approval to follow, but the process remains complicated due to continued disagreement within the party on the final cost of the package and what should be included, and the timeline for final passage remains unclear.

Given the ongoing, acute workforce shortage, several provisions which are currently included or are being considered for the package that would help address this crisis are especially important. Lutheran Services in America continues to advocate for the following:

• full funding of the provision permanently incentivizing states to deliver or improve home- and community-based service programs, including through increasing wages and benefits for direct care workers;
• $1.48 billion for a grant program funding strategies to recruit and retain direct care workers; and
• including the provisions of the WORK NOW Act to create a $50 billion grant program supporting nonprofits in paying wages and benefits.

Please join us in this effort through our advocacy alert.

Phase 4 Provider Relief Fund General Distribution and American Rescue Plan Rural Payments Available

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced $25.5 billion in new funding for health care providers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes $17 billion in Provider Relief Fund Phase 4 funding for providers who have experienced changes in operating revenues and expenses, as well as $8.5 billion in American Rescue Plan Rural funding for providers who provide Medicare, Medicaid, or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) services to rural beneficiaries. PRF Phase 4 payments will be based on providers’ lost revenues and expenditures between July 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021. ARP rural payments will be made to providers based on the amount of Medicaid, CHIP and/or Medicare services they provide to patients who live in rural areas as defined by the HHS Federal Office of Rural Health Policy.

Providers may apply for both programs via a single application on the Provider Relief Fund Application and Attestation Portal that opened September 29 through the final deadline of October 26. Read more.

By Sarah Dobson, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy

As I talk with member CEOs across the country, I often hear about acute workforce shortages.

This is not new. But there’s a heightened sense of urgency for many whose direct care workforce shortages are worse now than before—or even during—the height of the pandemic.

CEOs often cite low government reimbursement rates that keep direct care wages low and their concern that policymakers don’t understand the extent of the workforce crisis or the implications for the health and well-being of the one in 50 Americans we care for.

There are two key aspects of the broad “budget reconciliation” bill that is currently being finalized by House lawmakers that relate to workforce:

• $190 billion in home and community-based services for older adults and people with disabilities that includes provisions to increase wages and benefits for direct care workers
• $1.48 billion to fund grants to entities including nonprofits with experience in aging and disability to recruit and retain direct care workers including raising wages and creating training opportunities to address the direct care workforce shortage

In addition, the WORK NOW Act would provide a $50 billion grant program to provide funding for nonprofit health and human services organizations to pay wages, salaries and benefits to retain staff and meet the greatest demand for services.

These provisions won’t solve the workforce crisis. But they provide funding for the workforce and a recognition of the importance of the workforce and connection to government reimbursement rates.

As a faith-based network, our voice, which places people at the center of our advocacy, is an important voice in Washington—one that’s needed now more than ever. With support, we can ensure that the provisions are included in the budget reconciliation package and make a significant difference across the country.

Join us now by sending a message to Congress through our quick and easy advocacy tool.

By Charlotte Haberaecker, President and CEO