[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6541893,"mediaKeyId","4781555-f4a7bd39e47022d35eef40bdec555ee7","parentId",4781555,"title","Disability, long‑term care providers and advocates warn wage freezes and DME cuts would worsen staffing and community living options","audioSeconds",357,"startMs",2423000,"endMs",2780000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=4781555-f4a7bd39e47022d35eef40bdec555ee7&start=2423&end=2780","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/4781555-f4a7bd39e47022d35eef40bdec555ee7/thumbnail_2423000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6541893/Disability-longterm-care-providers-and-advocates-warn-wage-freezes-and-DME-cuts-would-worsen-staffing-and-community-living-options","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6541893-85f01aed7e335d03b476fdd1636d6cf3/orig.mp4?Expires=1775279680&Signature=fhn0MSDegQpVOPhfX5ZA4htp9CQGpX-fxFUV636iTy0WNtAcfU9Y6xS3CExGChvduQ5yik18eIiJY~oGCwpzS9hOG9~eY61HIgo9zubhX5t5yUXZ07C0Wcw~na9jQVSqOS8Q8NJkggn2NB6Rlc5Zn-QXRSQ~TAXzbJyD-ZOf8LeyreJb4Q7qB-agCw~X4HeHcD31tSoAqkWfvtvABI7e5YqIScqHIiPrOMFtV2HqCbLx93igUV~7Ko~W~QO~UGaKundzojIVhJDyx45WOBuxhlOmqRhv~Ef6AWK2sbO0yRlVN7WQnVOpvOsvKXl1DPz-iu0xUfTPliHr7NcsNqeLOw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","District of Columbia (Health)","date","2025-06-05T00:00:00Z","article","Disability advocates, home‑ and community‑based providers and workforce coalitions told the Committee on Health on June 5 that proposed fiscal changes to long‑term care and support services would undermine community living for people with disabilities and worsen workforce shortages.

Jacqueline Verner of Disability Rights DC (the designated protection and advocacy program) described planned reforms that would reduce funding for community‑based long‑term care and DME, saying DHCF had presented proposals to reduce DME spending by at least 10 percent and to cut $1,000,000 locally from home health services through payment methodology changes. \"Reductions in Medicaid community based long term care and DME as a cost savings measure won't save the district money in the long term,\" Verner told the committee, because loss of supports can lead to institutionalization and higher cost care.

Ian Paragol, executive director of the DC Coalition of Disability Service Providers, asked that the Council preserve multi‑year support for the DSP wage enhancements enacted after recent local legislation. He said freezing direct support wage increases beyond FY26 would undermine the workforce that delivers home‑ and community‑based waiver services and could recreate earlier exodus patterns among caregivers. He described current vacancy and turnover levels and urged that any FY26 actions include ongoing funding commitments to protect staffing.

Provider groups including the DC Home Health Association and LeadingAge DC echoed workforce concerns. Rajan Thomas, president of the DC Home Health Association, said the proposed elimination of enhanced wages at the end of FY26 could cause workers to leave and called for sustained wage policies and additional operational supports. LeadingAge DC added that population aging trends and a constrained long‑term care workforce heighten the consequences of short‑term savings.

Advocates urged the Council to avoid administratively driven reductions to DME that would erect new access barriers (citing wheelchairs, hospital beds and incontinence supplies as examples) and to prioritize provider rate adequacy to keep community‑based services viable.

The committee asked agencies to provide more detail on the proposed DME utilization reviews, provider payment methodology changes, and the multi‑year cost estimate for maintaining DSP wage enhancements so Council members could understand tradeoffs and monitor impacts.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","District of Columbia (Health) - Committee on Health, Budget Oversight Hearing, Christina Henderson, Chairperson - Jun 05, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Disability advocates, home‑and community‑based providers and workforce coalitions told the Committee on Health on June 5 that proposed fiscal changes to long‑term care services, durable medical equipment and wage policies would threaten community living and worsen staffing shortages.","taxTitle","Committee on Health, Committees, Legislative, District of Columbia","taxId",16182,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6541902,"Child‑care health benefit at risk in FY26 budget; providers urge $1.4 million boost and durable funding",5824,1529000,7353000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=4781555-f4a7bd39e47022d35eef40bdec555ee7&start=1529&end=7353","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/4781555-f4a7bd39e47022d35eef40bdec555ee7/thumbnail_1529000.jpg","/articles/6541902/Childcare-health-benefit-at-risk-in-FY26-budget-providers-urge-14-million-boost-and-durable-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6541902-446b7032496e9569c893f569ff05b88e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775279680&Signature=VrgmqPCEEZ8EGg1VcnXd1VRHdDzryp2fhapcA1~eda1cKLMHrAduXElTdgmeyqhZjzEHp1pC0kOZ1JkmXLY4purCx5i4csXUmM~fX4R~taAvVMq-w93wKXSCeXV902m4ZSzgTYdJpgBH8BK~400RNwq-haVKavz9SOshS8RdxbRcSpoPfQhNuxUisHCRYPeIJ-cxOcTzy0m9hxD1Pn72lDFcdsyGahVsRWyApoUPcmX1Vbbwp37MBuSAMVRMqzjkOhzjdETMufDtychuDovcXeyZSch796s1tlSQ5wz0dxR~WSYqNpSa~xk6XOi~jagculscQA9wzPrRx9V4y4BqMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Child‑care providers and educators told the Committee on Health on June 5 that the city’s Health Care for Child Care program has meaningfully increased access to employer‑sponsored health insurance for early childhood staff — but the initiative is at risk unless the Council restores recurring funding.

Multiple witnesses asked the committee and the Council to add $10 million in recurring funds to the Pay Equity Fund, including $1.4 million specifically to maintain and expand Health Care for Child Care. \"Health Care for Child Care has made a huge impact on my family,\" said Julie Luhan, a child‑care owner in Ward 1. \"I was paying almost $3,000 a month for health insurance for my family. Consequently, this program has allowed nearly 2,000 people to have better access to preventative care,\" she said.

Advocates and providers described the program as a workforce stabilization tool. Anne Gunderson of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute told the committee that Health Care for Child Care covers nearly 2,000 people across about 220 facilities and that, because of funding constraints, the Health Benefit Exchange placed new applicants on a wait list in January 2025. Gunderson recommended a $1.4 million increase in FY26 to sustain current participants and enroll facilities on the wait list.

Owners and brokers described day‑to‑day effects. Child care owner Sabrina McCraw said the program reduced her personal monthly premium from about $900 to $100 and allowed several staff members to retain coverage. Chris Farmer, an insurance agent who helps child‑care employers enroll, said the program reduced turnover by removing the need for staff to seek higher‑paying jobs simply to obtain health benefits.

City budget materials and witnesses also referenced the broader Pay Equity Fund. Witnesses thanked Councilmember Henderson for originally championing the fund and asked that recurring dollars be secured for FY27 and beyond. Some witnesses flagged a mayoral proposal that preserves a current funding level for FY26 but eliminates out‑year pay equity allocations, which they said would jeopardize program continuity.

Council members acknowledged the program’s early success but noted that out‑year funding remains uncertain. Chair Christina Henderson said the committee needs to ensure FY26 is solid and to address the wait list. Witnesses and council members agreed to supply written materials to the record.

If the Council does not act to restore recurring funds for Health Care for Child Care and the Pay Equity Fund, providers warned it could reverse recent gains in workforce stability and access to preventive care for early educators.","Child‑care providers and educators told the Committee on Health on June 5 that the city’s Health Care for Child Care program has meaningfully increased access to employer‑sponsored health insurance for early childhood staff — but the initiative is at risk unless the Council restores recurring funding.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6541907,"DC committee hears warnings that proposed Medicaid, Alliance changes and BHP transition could disrupt coverage for tens of thousands",5503,2098000,7601000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=4781555-f4a7bd39e47022d35eef40bdec555ee7&start=2098&end=7601","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/4781555-f4a7bd39e47022d35eef40bdec555ee7/thumbnail_2098000.jpg","/articles/6541907/DC-committee-hears-warnings-that-proposed-Medicaid-Alliance-changes-and-BHP-transition-could-disrupt-coverage-for-tens-of-thousands","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6541907-8978af2a9673fc7133cd19738c84a181/orig.mp4?Expires=1775279680&Signature=nWkW~AGDVyaTmeqNVxRvDQmty8PmPSbj~cDoZf7JSkeF4Qh34a3T6SOjRIiIQBncfugiJjOgwMgnJ6YdFghRmw~tZwLd0R8grNr6B-8dDjDeuKuMPwOqGTo5gWraZyEGKL0Hg49dZhRLbQdDN9L00~rQTYpOy-~ZaYfCdtKRY4tsHpFmce6JG-1ZYlnbQynLi5HXs6ywwL83D25RZ85DV8L7FMpl-W27Mgdck0s1x-zBt30srEIPoMIFSIiekwwseaBX5IMUKozmhg-iqqqKpcpJKepuMjX2wcpQO5R2FOaDZawA~L2qlL4CpPa44hCG7G~rQFMThoVa3JHivy-Ahg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee on Health heard broad warnings June 5 that proposed FY26 budget changes for Medicaid, the DC Health Care Alliance and a planned Basic Health Program (BHP) transition could disrupt coverage or reduce benefits for tens of thousands of District residents. Witnesses representing legal services, child and family advocates, hospitals and consumer groups urged the Council to slow or mitigate the proposed changes.

Legal and policy witnesses said the administration’s plan to move certain adults out of Medicaid and into a BHP, and to narrow Alliance eligibility, risks leaving people without equivalent benefits and creates a short timeline for a complex transition. \"DHCF would have to make $182,000,000 in cuts to slow the growth of the Medicaid program,\" Leah Casales, senior policy attorney at the Children's Law Center, told the committee, citing agency projections.

Supporters of the current programs said objecting to the changes was not abstract. Claire Hiaasen, a senior policy analyst who chairs a DC Exchange advisory working group, warned that some people would face higher premiums and lose services such as non‑emergency medical transportation, adult dental and vision if moved off Medicaid. \"A 40‑year‑old with an annual income of around $30,000 would go from free Medicaid coverage to owing between $145 and $168 per month for a silver benchmark plan in the marketplace,\" she said, citing national averages used in exchange modeling.

Legal aid and immigrant‑focused advocates also urged the council to reject reinstating more burdensome recertification rules for the Alliance or to require in‑person renewals. \"When these same policies were implemented in 2011 it led to a precipitous drop in Alliance coverage,\" Andrew Patterson of Legal Aid DC said, noting the administrative barriers and long lines that previously caused eligible people to lose coverage.

Hospital and provider representatives told the committee they were preparing outreach and operational plans in case the changes proceed, but they warned of service disruptions. Jackie Bowens, president and CEO of the DC Hospital Association, said hospitals and the exchange were coordinating an outreach campaign for people who would move off Medicaid, and that members were standing by to assist, but she urged caution: \"We can't afford to let anyone fall through the cracks.\"

Several witnesses asked the Council to attach explicit protections to any transition. Recommendations included: requiring the BHP to match Medicaid reimbursement rates for providers; preserving adult dental and vision benefits; ensuring continuous retroactive coverage; funding robust enrollment assistance; and staging the transition more slowly to avoid administrative churn. Ruth Pollard of the DC Primary Care Association urged that any BHP pay at Medicaid rates and include dental and vision benefits.

Council Chair Christina Henderson and members asked DHCF and the Health Benefit Exchange Authority to provide plans and benchmarks for the transition, emphasizing the need for seamless enrollment and for protections if the federal premium tax credit enhancements expire. Witnesses repeatedly called for contingency planning because federal policy uncertainty could make marketplace coverage less affordable.

The hearing record includes dozens of individual accounts from Alliance enrollees describing challenges with prior recertification rules and the consequences of coverage lapses. Advocates said the political and enforcement climate at the federal level — including immigration enforcement concerns — would likely deter some immigrants from attending in‑person recertifications if they were reinstated.

The committee recessed the hearing until government witnesses appear on Monday, June 9; members said they would continue oversight and ask detailed follow‑up questions about transition timelines and consumer protections.","Witnesses at the Committee on Health oversight hearing warned that Mayor Bowser's FY26 budget proposals — including moving some Medicaid enrollees into a Basic Health Program (BHP) and phasing out parts of the DC Health Care Alliance — could lead to coverage losses and administrative disruptions for thousands of district residents.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6541897,"FQHCs, hospitals and community health centers warn rebasing, Alliance freeze and rate uncertainty threaten primary‑care access",574,4333000,4907000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=4781555-f4a7bd39e47022d35eef40bdec555ee7&start=4333&end=4907","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/4781555-f4a7bd39e47022d35eef40bdec555ee7/thumbnail_4333000.jpg","/articles/6541897/FQHCs-hospitals-and-community-health-centers-warn-rebasing-Alliance-freeze-and-rate-uncertainty-threaten-primarycare-access","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6541897-c3d8e2de31d1500a0328d72b26c98787/orig.mp4?Expires=1775279680&Signature=kaP1-Xx3ZpTlIjDz7m3UBbXFKCuUBW~yHXNhao1v6--OYTyFAZemJeHUqcPLQM4vxoMGw2spes1Pf7lHIly47nceZx8gUDwqiePv9~STflZUW9kQAIW7KpsUBve6TQwULR13jsRVMbWpe5x~ZntPVkKsj8B~q2QW-c2LqtXuWg5ZwOIrTkx7Nusc4GUNp3lVzwgBRZrwLPccShuy0kJHXrsx2QEa5vQwPR3I3NOKapvAY8MTjxO3OtcL28IiCh-1paTko9c-P~sDL7cr-0WSL8Dm6r78igBQ1JlWwafO9sClow3N9u8z-rIP0SgK9vEMNtur~tjydCmvyYmee06ISg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Community health center leaders, hospital officials and provider coalitions told the Committee on Health on June 5 that proposed FY26 budget actions would put the safety net at risk and could reduce access to primary care across the District.

Leaders of the district’s FQHC network described the system’s role as a cost‑effective primary care backbone and urged the Council to protect provider revenues and enrollment continuity. \"Community health centers are DHCF's best partners, patients' best choice, and health care's best value,\" Kelly Sweeney McShane, CEO of Community of Hope and chair of the DC Primary Care Association, told the committee. Whitman Walker, Mary's Center, Bread for the City, Unity Health Care and other FQHCs highlighted the clinics’ reach and populations served.

FQHC representatives urged the Council to oppose or mitigate three administration proposals: (1) delaying or reducing the proposed FQHC rate rebasing, (2) freezing DC Health Care Alliance enrollment for adults (a policy that would move tens of thousands of adults out of Alliance over time), and (3) postponing scheduled Medicaid provider rate increases. Ruth Pollard of the DC Primary Care Association said the proposed policies risk more than $32 million in cuts for centers and threatened care for roughly 184,662 patients tied to FQHC services.

Hospitals echoed the outreach and transition concerns. Jackie Bowens, president and CEO of the DC Hospital Association, said hospitals are coordinating with DHCF and the exchange on outreach for people who may transition from Medicaid, but emphasized that delays in reimbursement and unclear program design raise operational risks. \"We can't afford to let anyone fall through the cracks,\" she said.

Providers also asked the Council to preserve the directed payment program for hospitals, which is subject to federal approval and annual renewal, and to expedite Medicaid managed‑care contracts and value‑based payment arrangements that many centers say would stabilize revenue and improve outcomes. Whitman Walker's testimony highlighted a recently executed value‑based contract with Amerigroup DC as a promising example.

Several witnesses described the financial math: delayed rebasing and rate freezes create multi‑year revenue shortfalls that threaten staffing and services. The DC Primary Care Association asked for a one‑year delay at most, and urged replacement strategies if an additional delay is unavoidable. Witnesses also requested vendor and outreach support to help patients through any transitions and additional funding for HBX assisters.

Council members pressed agency staff to provide more detailed fiscal models and to consider targeted mitigations — for example, reinvesting some savings to preserve critical primary‑care capacity and provider solvency. The committee will seek follow‑up materials from DHCF and the Health Benefit Exchange Authority when government witnesses appear on June 9.","Federally qualified health centers, hospitals and provider associations told the Committee on Health that the FY26 proposals — including delaying FQHC rate rebasing, an Alliance enrollment freeze and proposed Medicaid changes — would strain safety‑net providers and could reduce capacity and access to care.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6541887,"Maternal remote‑monitoring and produce‑prescription programs seek funding amid federal uncertainty",693,6535000,7228000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=4781555-f4a7bd39e47022d35eef40bdec555ee7&start=6535&end=7228","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/4781555-f4a7bd39e47022d35eef40bdec555ee7/thumbnail_6535000.jpg","/articles/6541887/Maternal-remotemonitoring-and-produceprescription-programs-seek-funding-amid-federal-uncertainty","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6541887-4b4c11f671e3430043ce79e4181505c9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775279680&Signature=SEmVRZCyrfe~xdD8SsMpWjEQ6SkeetPbOqp2pb~e7DpHrZq~FI0-B0L604T-EzmyD4xgWQbFVLkg~zuV9-A47kyiyCZTkmwaOSa1S0NBHLy7K70Ve4eqBrO3wb5foiuWbXvNhbD8PNSynItGfv77T8VyjAnlsT4dNFAFgtkPJc8EYLZLosxGjsfJo11ZUNYvsySZuOn3LpLutZzIFjLroAebdCzMsuAxBHCwKgifLqkwEZb0XBW94m-QSP1bbX9J24HuUqwXmscXeka6zdGajVcdTMizirEfJPVhIvM7CybcHKE9kNxB86TLqvtdcyHHVppLd~0Zvx4qnq-tewFzAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several community health and public‑health programs asked the Committee on Health on June 5 to preserve or expand targeted investments that advocates say produce measurable health gains.

BabyScripts, a DC‑based digital maternal health company, urged the Council to fund and implement the Postpartum Coverage Expansion Amendment Act and to ask DHCF to submit a Medicaid State Plan Amendment (SPA) to support prenatal and postpartum remote patient monitoring (RPM). Sarah Nicholson and Justina Tong described program results and individual cases where RPM identified high blood pressure and prompted timely care. \"When the elevated pressures persisted, we quickly escalated to her provider, and immediately she was sent to the hospital,\" Tong said of a patient whose remote readings precipitated an early, safe induction and subsequent treatment for preeclampsia.

DC Greens and partners asked the committee to maintain and increase a $500,000 local line item that funds ProduceRX — a program that provides monthly debit cards to patients with hypertension, diabetes or prediabetes to buy fresh produce. Eric Angel, executive director of DC Greens, said the program delivered roughly $1 million annually to about 1,000 households in the most recent year and cited participant testimony on improved blood‑pressure control and ability to buy fresh produce.

Dreaming Out Loud and other community groups also asked the Council to invest in food‑as‑medicine pilots and to align local procurement and Medicaid waiver strategies (Section 1115/1115‑like initiatives) to scale community‑based food interventions. Several witnesses connected those investments to anticipated federal dynamics and urged local contingency funding if federal reimbursement streams shift.

Witnesses framed both maternal RPM and produce prescriptions as cost‑effective interventions that reduce emergency care and downstream costs if scaled appropriately. The committee asked DHCF and partner agencies for implementation plans and to quantify costs and anticipated federal match or waiver pathways.","Nonprofit and private providers asked the Committee on Health to move forward on a Medicaid state plan amendment to fund prenatal/postpartum remote patient monitoring and to expand Produce Rx funding; witnesses said small, strategic investments can reduce long‑term costs and improve outcomes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Disability, long‑term care providers and advocates warn wage freezes and DME cuts would worsen staffing and community living options

Child‑care health benefit at risk in FY26 budget; providers urge $1.4 million boost and durable funding

DC committee hears warnings that proposed Medicaid, Alliance changes and BHP transition could disrupt coverage for tens of thousands

FQHCs, hospitals and community health centers warn rebasing, Alliance freeze and rate uncertainty threaten primary‑care access

Maternal remote‑monitoring and produce‑prescription programs seek funding amid federal uncertainty