NAELA Advocacy

NAELA Submits Comments to Senate Aging Committee on Financial Literacy for Older Adults
The Senate Aging Committee Chair and Ranking-member plan to draft a report that focuses on ways to improve the financial literacy and supports available to older adults and people with disabilities. NAELA submitted comments for their input. “At a minimum, financial education for people with disabilities and older adults could better prevent mistakes and confusion by recognizing that for many older adults and people with disabilities, Medicaid financial criteria may need to be a factor in their financial decision-making,” states the letter.

NAELA's Statement for the Record on Conservatorship/Guardianship Reform
Last week, the Senate Judiciary Sub-committee on the Constitution held a hearing: Toxic Conservatorships: The Need for Reform. NAELA submitted a statement for the record that focused on the need for reform, including how funding could assist states in updating their laws and providing training and resources. In its statement, NAELA urged Congress to fund a Guardianship Court Improvement Program (GCIP), which would bring together stakeholders to develop plans for systematic reform.

October 1, 2021 
Contact: Abby Matienzo, Communications Manager
       703-349-1923

NAELA Comments on Toxic Conservatorships Hearing

Washington, DC — This week, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution held a hearing titled “Toxic Conservatorships: The Need for Reform.” The hearing touched on ways to improve conservatorship proceedings, including the right to counsel of one's choosing, timely termination of a conservatorship, adequate notice of proceedings, and increased court oversight. 

Today, NAELA submitted a statement for the record for the hearing, which noted that while conservatorships are needed in certain circumstances, inadequate state laws and a lack of resources has led to financial exploitation, abuse, and neglect. In particular, NAELA urges Congress to authorize and fund a Guardianship Court Improvement Program (GCIP). A GCIP would bring together stakeholders to evaluate state laws and courts and, working in collaboration, develop plans for systematic improvement. 
 
“The national focus on guardianship and conservatorship abuse presents an opportunity for fundamental reform. Funding and resources for states to reform their laws and court systems would go a long way towards ensuring every person has meaningful due process and does not unnecessarily lose their rights or decision-making capabilities,” said NAELA President Letha Sgritta McDowell, CELA, CAP.
  
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About NAELA
Members of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) are attorneys who are experienced and trained in working with the legal problems of aging Americans and individuals of all ages with disabilities. Upon joining, NAELA member attorneys agree to adhere to the NAELA Aspirational Standards. Established in 1987, NAELA is a non-profit association that assists lawyers, bar organizations, and others. The mission of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys is to educate, inspire, serve, and provide community to attorneys with practices in elder and special needs law. NAELA currently has members across the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit NAELA.org, or to locate a NAELA member attorney in your area, visit NAELA.org/findlawyer.

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June 30, 2021 
Contact: Abby Matienzo, Communications Manager
       703-349-1923

The Better Care Better Jobs Act Would Transform Long-Term Care for the Better

Washington, DC — Last week, Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) introduced the Better Care Better Jobs Act, which would vastly expand Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS). The legislation forms the basis of President Biden’s $400 billion commitment to expand access to HCBS and raise the wages of direct support professionals in his American Jobs Plan.  
 
Traditional insurance and Medicare does not pay for long-term care, such as nursing home care and assistance at home with "activities of daily living" such as bathing, feeding, and getting out of bed. Medicaid acts as the primary payor for these services, but mandates nursing home coverage. Services at home and in the community – HCBS – remain optional under the program. As a result, far too many seniors and people with disabilities are forced into nursing homes when they could otherwise receive care at home.  
 
“COVID-19 has laid bare the crisis in America’s nursing homes. This legislation would be an unprecedented step towards ensuring every American has the ability to age in place,” said NAELA President Letha Sgritta McDowell, CELA, CAP.

About NAELA
Members of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) are attorneys who are experienced and trained in working with the legal problems of aging Americans and individuals of all ages with disabilities. Upon joining, NAELA member attorneys agree to adhere to the NAELA Aspirational Standards. Established in 1987, NAELA is a non-profit association that assists lawyers, bar organizations, and others. The mission of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys is to educate, inspire, serve, and provide community to attorneys with practices in elder and special needs law. NAELA currently has members across the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit NAELA.org, or to locate a NAELA member attorney in your area, visit NAELA.org/findlawyer.

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NAELA, along with Justice and Aging and other advocacy organizations, has published an issue brief on the Medicaid estate recovery program. The brief calls on Congress to eliminate the Medicaid estate recovery program and focuses on how estate recovery contributes to the cycle of poverty. In particular, the brief examines how home ownership allows for generational wealth building for lower-income families. The brief was a collaboration between NAELA, Justice in Aging, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR), National Health Law Program (NHeLP), and Western Center on Law & Poverty. 

The brief also includes recommendations from the Medicaid and Chip Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), a non-partisan legislative agency, to 1) make estate recovery optional for state Medicaid programs; 2) allow state managed care arrangements to pursue estate recovery based on cost of care instead of capitated payment amounts and; 3) set minimum standards for hardship waivers across states. NAELA had provided stakeholder input to the Medicaid and Chip Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) through interviews with NAELA members and a sign-on letter prior to its recommendations.

NAELA joined an amicus brief representing aging and disability organizations in U.S. Supreme Court case Cochran v. Gresham, which will consider whether the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) had the authority to approve restrictive Section 1115 Medicaid waivers in New Hampshire and Arkansas. The brief was led by AARP Foundation. In addition to NAELA, AARP, Justice in Aging, the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, the National Disability Rights Network, the American Heart Association, and the American Lung Association joined in support. The Department of Justice also filed a motion to vacate this week. At present, oral arguments are scheduled for March 29.

Read the amicus brief.