Washington, D.C. – Today, the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) welcomed providers from dozens of facilities operating across 16 states as they gathered on Capitol Hill to inform lawmakers about the importance of Medicaid for the intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) community. The annual fly-in event was a timely opportunity for providers to meet with Members of Congress as they consider a budget reconciliation package to determine federal tax and spending priorities.
“The most important thing we can do is communicate the real significance and devastation Medicaid cuts would have on our ID/DD communities. Without reliable Medicaid funding, our residents could see their coverage cancelled, their care options reduced, or their facilities close,”
said Jamie Anthony, Chair of the AHCA/NCAL ID/DD Committee and Executive Director of Developmental Options, a non-profit organization serving the ID/DD community in Southeast Idaho. “We’re honored to serve this segment of the ID/DD community that requires more significant care and support than the home or community can provide. It must remain available to individuals with disabilities and their families for decades to come.”
There are 5,300 intermediate care facilities (ICFs) in the United States that serve nearly 55,000 individuals with disabilities, many of whom have significant support needs. ICFs offer 24-hour supervision, health care, therapies, activities, and training intended to maximize residents’ autonomy and independence. Many of the residents of ICFs are non-ambulatory, have seizure disorders, behavior problems, mental illness, visual or hearing impairments, or a combination of these complex needs.
Virtually all residents of ICFs rely on Medicaid for their care. The ICF/IID benefit, which covers long term care for individuals with disabilities, is an optional Medicaid benefit, which means it could be among the first to be impacted if federal resources are reduced. This would be particularly devastating, as the number of ICFs across the country has already declined by 16 percent over the last 10 years due to factors like rising costs of care, workforce shortages, and chronic Medicaid underfunding.
AHCA/NCAL continues to call on Congress to
protect Medicaid funding and preserve access to care for the nation’s most vulnerable, including individuals with disabilities.