Tag: In-Home Support Services

The Arc of California Raises Concerns Over Federal Government Withholds $1.3 Billion in IHSS Funding from California

In May, the federal government withheld $1.3 billion in Medicaid funding from California, including more than $1.1 billion designated for the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, citing concerns about fraud and abuse. In a new statement, The Arc of California Executive Director Jordan Lindsey warns that isolated cases of misconduct should not be used to justify actions that threaten essential healthcare and support services for older adults, children, and people with disabilities.

Lindsey emphasizes that Medi-Cal and IHSS are lifelines for hundreds of thousands of Californians, providing access to healthcare, therapies, medications, personal care services, and the daily supports that allow people to live safely and independently in their communities. While The Arc of California supports strong oversight and accountability, it opposes efforts that use a false narrative of widespread fraud to undermine programs that millions of people depend on every day.

Read Jordan Lindsey’s full statement on the impact of these funding withholdings and what they could mean for Californians with disabilities.

Read Statement by Jordan Lindsey, Executive Director, The Arc of California: The Arc CA Responds to Withholding of IHSS Funds

Presidential Candidate Proposes Expanding Medicare to Cover In-Home Care

By Jordan Lindsey, Executive Director, The Arc & UCP California Collaboration

In the competing interests of policies and platforms in the presidential race, long-term care isn’t always a top issue. Last week, however, Vice-President Kamala Harris made a major announcement proposing that Medicare pay for in-home care for seniors. Currently, long-term in-home care, such as California’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), is only available for individuals who qualify for Medicaid (called Medi-Cal in California) due to disability or income near the poverty level. Harris promised that, if elected in November, she will seek to expand Medicare, the federal health insurance program for older Americans, so that it covers long-term care and includes services like in-home aides.

For older Californians, including aging caregivers of adult family members with disabilities, the cost of long-term care has been an incredible financial burden, often making it impossible to continue receiving in-home care when it is needed most. This challenge can often force older individuals into facility-based settings, such as nursing facilities or assisted living, which can separate the caregiver from their community, support system, and their children if they are the primary caregiver. The proposal to expand Medicare to pay for in-home care would relieve that uncertainty and burden and would essentially create a publicly funded long-term care insurance program.

In 2023, The Arc of California surveyed its stakeholders in the disability community, which revealed “support for aging caregivers” as the number one priority for policy changes. We listened to our community, and in response, developed a Caring Futures and Futuros y Esperanza. This program provides caregivers of an adult family member with developmental disabilities with future planning classes, resources and a supportive community throughout California.

The Arc of California supports the prioritization of long-term services and supports for caregivers regardless of candidate or political party.

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