Disability Advocates Remain Optimistic
The $2 trillion Build Back Better Act was passed by the House of Representatives back in November. The bill is now stalled in the Senate. Democratic leaders had hoped the bill would be passed before Christmas, but the measure was sidelined when Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., stated that he could not endorse the bill as is. The Build Back Better Act includes $150 billion for Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS), the largest ever investment for this type of assistance. HCBS allows people with disabilities to live on their own or in group homes rather than in institutional settings. The HCBS investment would also help individuals with disabilities get off waiting lists and bolster the workforce of direct support professionals who provide such services. Despite the bill’s holdup, disability advocates are not giving up hope due to Senator Manchin’s previous implied support of HCBS. They believe that the reconciliation process will play out and that HCBS will be included in a final version of the bill.
