Action Update

Update on Money Follows the Person

February 28, 2019

Great news!  Two bills have been introduced to extend the Money Follows the Person (MFP) Program for five years!   Called the Empower Care Act, a Senate bill (S. 548) by Senators Portman and Cantwell, and a House Bill (H.R. 1342) by Congresspersons Guthrie and Dingell, would continue and improve the program through 2023.  Improvements include reducing how long someone must be in a nursing home before becoming eligible to transition from 90 days to 60.
 
The five year extension is critically important.  Congress passed $112 million funding for the program in January 2019 (H.R. 259), but this money ends in September and could even run out sooner.
 
As we have previously noted, MFP benefits both long-term care consumers and states. MFP helps individuals with disabilities and seniors who want to move out of nursing homes or other institutions and back into their communities, where they can live independently and experience an improved quality of life. At the same time, it helps states improve access to home and community-based long-term services and supports and save money.

It’s exciting to see these bills so early in the session.  Stay tuned for more updates and information about advocacy action.