Hill Update
Congress Considers Stopgap FY 2010 Funding Measure
Last Friday, September 25, the House approved a continuing resolution (CR) to provide fiscal year (FY) 2010 stopgap funding. FY 2010 begins on Thursday, October 1, but Congress has not yet passed all twelve appropriations bills. In order to prevent a government shutdown, Congress has to pass a CR to provide stopgap funding until the remaining appropriations bills can be passed. The CR would fund the government through October 31, giving Congress an additional month to pass the remaining FY 2010 appropriations bills. The CR has been attached to the conference version of the legislative branch spending bill, leaving 11 others to go through final passage during October, including the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development bill. The Senate is expected to approve the CR tomorrow.
Health Care Reform Proposals Include Help for Homeless Populations
Congress is currently considering several versions of a health care reform bill. The Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee and the Finance Committee have both produced bills in the Senate, and three committees in the House have approved measures that they hope to combine into a single bill. Much of the debate in the media and on Capitol Hill is focusing on two keys issues: whether or not to include a public option, and whether to provide insurance subsidies for people earning up to 300 percent or 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). However, some issues that have not received as much attention in the media would have substantial impact on homeless people and homeless service providers. Most importantly, each of the versions currently under consideration in Congress would allow all individuals and families earning up to at least 133 percent of FPL to qualify for Medicaid. The Senate HELP Committee version would open Medicaid even further, to all individuals at or below 150 percent of FPL. Any of these proposals would provide coverage for the majority of individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Under the Senate Finance Committee version, this expansion of Medicaid would not occur until 2014. In general, the changes to Medicaid eligibility would apply only to U.S. citizens and immigrants who are permanent residents and have been in the U.S. for 5 years.
One other key issue in health care reform of interest to homeless service providers is reimbursement of certain services performed by providers. The Senate HELP Committee proposal includes a reimbursement structure for case management, care coordination, and discharge activities, as well as for programs designed to prevent hospital readmission. Supportive housing and medical respite programs could benefit from this provision. Over the coming weeks, the various versions of health care reform legislation are expected to advance. Please watch Alliance Online News for further updates.
