From DC is Justice in Aging’s weekly roundup of national news and resources about issues impacting older adults. To receive From DC in your inbox as soon as its published, sign up for our mailing list.
Here’s what we’re watching in Washington:
1,100 Advocacy Organizations Tell the Senate to Reject Cuts to Medicaid
This week, the Disability and Aging Collaborative, the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities, and allied organizations sent a letter to every U.S. Senator urging them to reject the House-passed budget reconciliation bill (H.R. 1) or any legislation that cuts Medicaid.
Justice in Aging joined the letter, along with more than 1,100 national, state, and local organizations, representing every state and D.C., to show we are united in opposition to the bill because of the harmful cuts and changes to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that will take coverage and benefits away from millions of people with disabilities, older adults, and their caregivers.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released new evaluations of the reconciliation bill’s impact. The bill itself will result in at least 10.9 million people becoming uninsured – the vast majority (7.8 million people) of the newly uninsured will have Medicaid taken away and includes millions of people with disabilities and older adults. When factoring in expiration of the enhanced ACA premium tax credits, the number of people who will become uninsured rises to 16 million.
CBO also estimates the bill will take away Medicare cost-sharing assistance from more than 1.3 million seniors and people with disabilities, leaving them underinsured and financially vulnerable. It would also strip Medicare coverage from many lawfully present older immigrants who have lived and worked in the U.S. for decades.
Senate Republicans are continuing to negotiate the bill behind closed doors. It is critical that the public be made aware of the grave harms to older adults in this bill and that Congress hear from their constituents.
Stay informed and learn more about what’s at stake and what advocates can do by visiting Justice in Aging’s Medicaid defense resources..
Evidence Mounts Showing Tax Bill Would Harm Older Adults
In addition to the CBO’s evaluation of the House-passed budget reconciliation bill (H.R. 1), new analysis from Manatt and KFF provide state-by-state impacts and coverage loss estimates. Analyses from Brookings and TCF show how these cuts are as deep and harmful as those the Senate rejected in 2017. This RWJF State Health & Value Strategies resource provides a collection of state agencies’ public analysis of the bill. The through line is that older adults and people with disabilities will be harmed, despite proponents of the bill claiming to want to protect them.
A new article, House SNAP Cuts Would Further Endanger Medicaid For Disabled People, Older Adults, explains how H.R. 1 will directly harm older adults and disabled people by taking away their Medicaid and food assistance, and how the bill’s shift of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) costs to states will increase the chance of states cutting optional Medicaid services like home- and community-based services (HCBS) to fill state budget holes.
As the authors conclude, “despite the rhetoric otherwise, the reconciliation bill would take away critical supports from some of the most vulnerable Americans while creating tax breaks for the very wealthy.”
White House Releases New Details for FY26 Proposed Budget
The Trump Administration recently released more details about its Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for Congress. The President’s budget proposes deep cuts for vital services that allow older adults and people with disabilities to remain safely at home and in their communities. Overall, the budget guts and eliminates critical federal programs by $163 billion, a historic amount, and effectively reduces funding for Social Security by not keeping up with increased costs.
The updated budget proposes to retain funding for the long-term care ombudsman, State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), and other elder justice programs. The Administration plans to continue certain Administration for Community Living (ACL) programs under a newly named Administration for Children, Families, and Communities.
While the President’s budget reflects the Administration’s funding recommendations, Congress must negotiate and approve all funding bills. The current spending bill for the federal government expires later this year at the end of September.
In the meantime, Justice in Aging will continue to monitor the budget situation and inform our network about how and when to take action.
New Justice in Aging Resources
- Blog: Aggressive Immigration Policies Hurt Older Adults (5/29)
- Article: Federal Housing Protections for People with Disabilities (5/29)
- Statement: House Passes Bill that Would Rip Medicaid from Millions of Older Adults (5/22)
- Statement: The Center for Medicare Advocacy, Justice in Aging, and Medicare Rights Center Urge the Senate to Reject Harmful Cuts to Medicaid and Medicare (5/22)
- Comment Letter: Justice in Aging’s Comments on Proposed New “Schedule P/C” Classification for Civil Servants (5/22)
- Article: Older Adults Without Family Caregivers Need Better Access to Medicaid Support Services (5/22)
- Blog: Don’t Believe Them! The Proposed Reconciliation Bill Directly Harms Older Adults & People with Disabilities on Medicare (5/21)
- Blog: Broken Promises: Republicans’ Budget Reconciliation Bill Would Cut Medicare (5/21)
- Fact Sheet: A Lifeline for Californians: The Importance of Protecting and Expanding Medi-Cal Home and Community-Based Services (5/20)
- Special Report: IMPACT Committee Report: Master Plan for Aging’s Year 4 In Review (5/19)
- Comment Letter: Justice in Aging’s Statement for the Record on Medicaid Provisions in House Energy & Commerce Committee Markup of FY25 Budget Reconciliation Legislation (5/16)
- Statement: Governor’s May Revision Would Strip Coverage from Tens of Thousands of Older Californians (5/14)
- Comment Letter: Statement on the Record for Hearing on Preparing for Disasters: Unique Challenges Facing Older Americans (5/14)
- Statement: Statement on President’s FY26 Budget (5/09)
- Issue Brief: The Importance of Federal Rental Assistance for Older Adults (5/08)
- Fact Sheet: Medi-Cal Asset Limit Elimination Increases Economic Security for Low-Income Older Adults and People with Disabilities (5/07)
- Report: How Medicaid Supports Older Adults (5/06)
Justice in Aging Webinars
- Protecting Medicaid from Cuts in Congress: Updates for Aging Advocates (6/17)
- Issues Facing LGBTQ+ Older Adults in 2025 and Beyond (6/25)