Carper, Sinema, Portman, Rubio Introduce Bipartisan Bill Increasing Accessibility of Home Care for Seniors

Senators’ legislation allows seniors to use Health Savings Accounts to pay for home care 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) introduced the bipartisan Homecare for Seniors Act with Senators Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). The legislation allows seniors to use Health Savings Account funds for home care expenses, saving seniors money, providing relief to family caregivers, and helping seniors remain safely at home.  

“We have a responsibility to ensure seniors in Delaware and across the country have access to quality care and the ability to lead dignified lives,” said Carper. “That’s why I’m proud to support the bipartisan Homecare for Seniors Act, which will finally allow older Americans to use their HSA funds to pay for at-home care services, like assistance with eating, bathing, and taking medication. This legislation prioritizes the needs of our seniors, brings down the cost of health care long-term, and ensures older Americans have the freedom of choice when it comes to their care.”

“Arizona seniors deserve the option to use their Health Savings Account money for home care, especially as we continue to recover from the pandemic. Ensuring health savings can be used for home care strengthens the services our loved ones need to stay safe at home, provides relief to family caregivers, and helps Arizona seniors save money,” said Sinema.

“As the senior population in this country continues to grow, the need for home health care assistance to support the day to day needs of our seniors increases every day,” said Portman. “Seniors and their families deserve flexibility to utilize the funds in their Health Savings Account for home care services, in order to cover the services needed to support simple, every-day activities. In doing so, we can help ensure that our seniors have the means to live healthily and independently at home in their communities.”

“Florida seniors should be able to use funds they’ve saved for retirement through their Health Savings Account to cover home care expenses,” said Rubio. “The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized how important it is for seniors to be able to access in-home care, and this bill would make these critical services more obtainable.”

Currently, Health Savings Account funds can be used for home health care as prescribed by a physician, but cannot be used by seniors who need lower levels of care around the home. Qualified home care can help seniors prevent falls, receive assistance with cooking or bathing, or help them manage their prescription drugs if they are living with multiple chronic conditions. The bipartisan Homecare for Seniors Act increases access to home care, which in turn keeps seniors safe and saves seniors from having to enter more expensive residential care.

The Homecare for Seniors Act is supported by the Caregiver Action Network, Home Care Association of America, the International Franchise Association, Alzheimer’s Foundation, National Association for Home Care & Hospice, National Alliance for Caregiving, Leading Age, and Home Instead.

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