The Details:

Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) are a lifeline for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Through Medicaid-funded HCBS, people with I/DD have access to a broad range of person-centered supports, including assistance with activities of daily living, skill-building supports, community integration, and employment opportunities. These supports enable people with I/DD to develop a greater level of independence and autonomy and contribute meaningfully to their communities. 

However, because states are not required to provide HCBS, people with I/DD are often put on a waiting list for years or even decades waiting for services. The HCBS Access Act (H.R. 8540) will eliminate HCBS waiting lists and provide increased funding for HCBS, expanding access and giving people with I/DD and their families a meaningful choice between community-based care or institutional care.  

Contact your member of Congress today and urge them to support the HCBS Access Act.