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:
CMS Takes New Steps to Verify Citizenship and Immigration Status for Medicaid Enrollees
On Tuesday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it has begun sending monthly enrollment reports to states, identifying individuals whose citizenship or immigration status could not be confirmed through federal databases, including the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program.
All states should receive a report over the next month. States are expected to review the reports and verify the citizenship or immigration status of identified individuals, request additional documentation if needed, and take appropriate actions when necessary, including adjusting coverage or enforcing eligibility rules. Justice in Aging will be monitoring this development and updating our network.
In a separate but related issue, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted a preliminary injunction blocking the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from using Medicaid data for immigration enforcement in the 20 states that sued over the data sharing.
As a result, DHS may not use the Medicaid data it has already obtained from the plaintiff states, and CMS is prohibited from sharing data with DHS from those plaintiff states until the litigation is over or 14 days after a reasoned decision-making process.
Watch Justice in Aging’s webinar recording for other policy developments impacting older immigrants.
CBO Report Confirms Budget Reconciliation Act Benefits Wealthiest, Cuts Support for Poorest
The Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) latest analysis of the Budget Reconciliation Act of 2025 (H.R. 1), signed into law on July 4, 2025, confirms that the wealthiest Americans will see income gains while people with the fewest resources will face deep cuts.
Over the next decade, households in the top 10% are projected to see their incomes rise by nearly 2.7%, while households in the bottom 10% will experience a 3.1% decline – driven largely by cuts to Medicaid and food assistance.
By 2034, it is estimated that about 4 million people, including older adults, will have their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits terminated or reduced, and 10 million people will become uninsured, including 7.5 million people who will have Medicaid coverage taken away.
Get more information about how H.R. 1 impacts older adults in Justice in Aging’s overview of the law. For more detail on its effects on health and long-term care, see our new explainer and timeline and webinar recording.
HUD Announces Agency Will Provide Materials in English Only
Recent reporting indicates that a senior official at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced internally that the agency would stop providing multilingual materials. This announcement comes after the Trump Administration issued an executive order (EO 14224) designating English as the country’s official language, as well as a Department of Justice (DOJ) memo rescinding DOJ’s language access guidance for recipients of DOJ financial assistance.
HUD has not yet rescinded its language access guidance for recipients of HUD funding. Recipients of HUD funding – such as Public Housing Authorities (PHAs), HUD-assisted property owners, and HUD-funded homeless service providers – still have language access obligations under federal and state civil rights laws. These obligations generally include providing oral interpretation and written translation services for people with limited English proficiency (LEP).
Justice in Aging will continue to monitor federal agencies’ implementation of EO 14224 to ensure that older adults with LEP are not discriminated against in accessing services.
Read our full statement on EO 14224.
New Justice in Aging Resources
- Letter: Justice in Aging Comments on the Application of Fair Labor Standards to Domestic Services (8/21)
- Toolkit: Care Coordination for D-SNP State Medicaid Agency Contracts (8/19)
- Letter: Justice in Aging Comments on HHS Interpretation of Federal Public Benefit under PRWORA (8/13)
- Resource: What’s in the Budget Reconciliation Act of 2025 and What Does it Mean for Low-Income Older Adults’ Access to Health and Long-Term Care? (8/13)
- Resource: The Budget Reconciliation Act of 2025 Means Harmful Cuts for Older Adults (8/05)
- Resource: Budget Reconciliation Act of 2025: Medicaid and Medicare Provisions Impacting Low-Income Older Adults (7/28)
- Fact Sheet: Changes to Medicare’s Custody Definition Improve Access to Care for Older Adults Leaving Incarceration (7/21)
- Issue Brief: Medicare Special Enrollment Period for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals: What Advocates Need to Know (updated 7/21)
- Resource: Using Medi-Cal’s Housing-Related Services to Prevent and End Older Adult Homelessness (7/16)
