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Senate Committee Reauthorizes Older Americans Act

Wed, 07/26/2000 - 12:00am — Karen Stevenson
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After five years without reauthorization, the Older Americas Act received a unanimous vote in favor of the compromise bill, S. 1536, from the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Many aging advocates and Hill staffers believe the prospects for reauthorization, which has gained broad support in the aging network, are excellent this year.

The bill includes:

A Family Caregiver proposal that authorizes $125 million for states to provide support for family caregivers of those needing long-term care
Cost sharing provisions for such services as home care and adult day care

Care management revisions to allow multipurpose organizations to provide care management as long as there are consumer protections
Restoration of the White House Conference on Aging, which had been deleted in earlier versions. The next conference would be scheduled for 2005.

Additional Title V funding allocated to a new pool of $35 million in grants to serve areas with unmet needs for older Americans who want to work.

After five years without reauthorization, the Older Americas Act received a unanimous vote in favor of the compromise bill, S. 1536, from the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Many aging advocates and Hill staffers believe the prospects for reauthorization, which has gained broad support in the aging network, are excellent this year.

The bill includes:

A Family Caregiver proposal that authorizes $125 million for states to provide support for family caregivers of those needing long-term care
Cost sharing provisions for such services as home care and adult day care

Care management revisions to allow multipurpose organizations to provide care management as long as there are consumer protections
Restoration of the White House Conference on Aging, which had been deleted in earlier versions. The next conference would be scheduled for 2005.

Additional Title V funding allocated to a new pool of $35 million in grants to serve areas with unmet needs for older Americans who want to work.