Tag: housing

With midterm elections within sight this November, Congress will be working ahead of the August recess with a focus on our key policy priorities, including:

• Medicaid: Reconciliation 3.0 poses more risk to Medicaid coverage and access
• Expanding access to affordable housing: 21^st Century Road to Housing Act – will the Senate Act?
• Addressing health and direct service workforce shortages

More Medicaid Cuts?

Reconciliation 3.0

Federal policymakers are increasingly turning their attention to finding savings through additional healthcare cuts including to Medicaid to generate savings as the war with Iran continues. As part of a potential third reconciliation package (“Reconciliation 3.0”), which could advance later this summer, provisions related to Medicaid could include new program integrity measures and eligibility restrictions that could reduce coverage. This is on top of the significant cuts and program changes enacted as part of the first reconciliation bill, HR 1, which are still unfolding.

States Implement Work Requirements

At the same time, new federal guidance from CMS is moving forward with expanded work reporting requirements, which will require more frequent eligibility verification and potentially limit exemptions for medically frail individuals. Together, these developments increase administrative burdens for providers and create new barriers for patients in maintaining coverage. We encourage members to stay engaged and make their voices heard.

Take Action: Join your peers in telling Congress “no more cuts to Medicaid”. You can use our quick and easy advocacy tool to write your lawmakers and urge them to oppose any further cuts to Medicaid.

Expanding Access to Affordable Housing

House Advances Road to Housing

The House recently passed the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, marking a significant step toward addressing the nation’s affordable housing shortage. While the legislation includes efforts to promote local zoning reforms and expand housing development, the House-passed version eliminated proposed incentive programs.

Now What?

Attention now turns to the Senate, where leaders have indicated that additional work is needed before a final agreement can be reached.

Yes in God’s Backyard

At the same time, we continue to advocate for “Yes In God’s Backyard” (YIGBY) legislation, which aims to   ease faith‑based land conversions for affordable housing development. Action on this effort is increasingly moving to the various states, with eight states having already passed some version of this bill, including Washington, California, Oregon, Minnesota, Maryland, Hawaii, Florida, and most recently in Virginia.

Addressing the Workforce Shortage

Because workforce shortages remain a significant concern across the health and human services sector, we continue to support efforts to strengthen the pipeline of healthcare and direct support professionals, including by removing barriers for internationally trained workers through the Healthcare Workforce Innovation Act.

Nursing Professional Designation Downgraded

At the federal level, a new policy change excludes most nursing programs from the definition of a “professional degree.” This action has prompted a lawsuit from major nursing organizations. If upheld, the change could limit access to federal student loans for advanced nursing education, with potential downstream effects on workforce supply at a time when shortages are already acute.

We will continue to monitor these developments closely and keep you informed as the policy environment evolves in the months ahead.

Sue Polis is Vice President of Public Relations and Government Affairs at Lutheran Services in America. Sarah Dobson is Senior Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at Lutheran Services in America.

As 2026 begins, many forces, especially in changes to federal policy, are further shaping an already challenging landscape. With a one-seat Republican majority in the House, will compromise be the order of the day? That question looms, along with a key government funding deadline, and rising concerns about further impacts in access to care with the ACA tax credits expired. In our January Capitol Conversations webinar, we examined federal policy developments across our three priority areas — Medicaid, workforce, and health and housing — with a clear takeaway: decisions in Washington will have immediate, real-world impacts on providers and the communities they serve. Here are three key takeaways:

Medicaid and Behavioral Health: Medicaid remains a key focus, particularly as states move forward with implementing new work requirements and managing constraints on provider taxes, which in many states take effect later this year. Speakers also highlighted the recent reversal of SAMHSA grant cancellations that would have affected mental health and addiction treatment providers – and concern that we may see more sudden funding shifts ahead. Moreover, with Congress expected to finalize government funding by January 30 even with strong Democratic opposition to further funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), speakers emphasized close monitoring of funding decisions and the critical role of provider advocacy in shaping outcomes.

Workforce: Workforce shortages across health care and long-term services and supports continue to draw attention. Several immigration-related bills — including the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, Strengthening Our Workforce Act, Dream Act of 2025, and Dignity Act — aim to bolster the workforce while maintaining system integrity. While bipartisan interest remains, momentum may slow as midterm elections approach, making provider engagement especially important.

Health and Housing: Speakers discussed recent Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) disruptions related to Continuum of Care funding – although 12-months of continued funding is part of the Transportation and Housing funding bill, which is expected to pass.  At the same time, speakers noted cautious optimism around the bipartisan Road to Housing Act, which could advance later this year and would strengthen coordinated, evidence-based responses to homelessness.

Across all issues, speakers stressed the importance of grounding advocacy in lived experience and maintaining strong relationships with policymakers. Now more than ever: stay engaged, stay informed, and stay grounded in your communities.

Kylie Bowlds is an Issue Education & External Relations Associate at Lutheran Services in America.