ARGENTUM ADVOCATES
Late-Year Congressional Action Brings Senior Living Victories
By Dan Samson and Patrick Connole A
rgentum said the end of 2022 brought major victories for senior living priorities in Congress when
the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package was approved in Congress, and signed into law by President Biden. The package includes several provisions
Argentum has advocated for in recent months, including language to support the senior care workforce and other job training programs, disaster relief funding to help operators recover from Hurricane Ian, increases in Alzheimer's research funding, among other provisions. Below is a rundown of the measures in the spending bill.
Major Senior Living Provisions: Workforce Development Argentum secured language to help trans- form existing education and training pro- grams to develop the workforce needed to care for the aging population. Specifically, it urges the Employment and Training Ad- ministration (ETA), in collaboration with the Dept. of Health and Human Services, to support the expansion of the workforce to care for a rapidly aging U.S. population and provide home-and community-based services to older adults and people with disabilities, including through education and training grant programs, as well as tra- ditional and nontraditional apprenticeship programs. The package also includes $285 million to expand opportunities through apprenticeships grants, cooperative agree- ments, contracts, and other arrangements; additionally, $65 million is allocated to for Strengthening Community College Train- ing Grants and $1.760 billion for Job Corps.
Disaster Relief Argentum’s direct discussions with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and his staff re- garding senior living provider needs post Hurricanes Ian and Fiona have yielded an appropriation of $858 million to help com- munities and businesses in impacted areas through the Small Business Administration’s Disaster Loans Program. These loans will help businesses, including senior living oper- ators, to repair or replace disaster-damaged property including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery, and equipment. An appropriation of $5 billion is targeted to the Federal Emergency Management Admin- istration’s Disaster Relief Fund to bolster Hurricanes Ian and Fiona recovery efforts.
Retirement Savings The package includes language from the SE- CURE Act, which among its many provisions include increasing the required minimum distribution age from 72 to 75, removing restrictions that apply to retirement annuities that keep pace with inflation through modest increases, provide payouts to survivors, or allow “period certain guarantees” (lifetime annuities with a minimum payout period that transfers to beneficiaries after death), and makes a tax credit for contributions to a retirement plan refundable (under current law the credit is nonrefundable and is claimed on an individual’s tax return).
Low-Income Seniors Housing Argentum called for and has been supportive of proposed increases in Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs targeted to low-income seniors. The package includes $258.3 million to construct over 2,800 new affordable housing units for seniors and persons with disabilities, and an addi-
46 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023
tional $1 billion for Housing for the Elderly, including $25 million to expand housing units to intergenerational families, to build nearly 1,120 new affordable housing units for low-income seniors. Argentum commends LeadingAge for championing these and other HUD programs that serve vulnerable older adults and is pleased to support these efforts.
Alzheimer’s Funding The package includes an increase of $226 million for Alzheimer’s research and $500 million increase for Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health to accelerate the pace of scientific breakthroughs for diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and cancer. Argentum directly advocated for increased federal funding for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia-related research and associated initiatives. Argentum advocacy efforts comprised of meetings with members of Congress including Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) and joining advocacy efforts of leading organizations such as Alzheimer’s Association, Leaders Engaged on Alzhei- mer’s Disease, US Against Alzheimer’s, and the American Seniors Housing Association. Argentum member Senior Star, specifically Bill and Bob Thomas, have been tireless ad- vocates for these initiatives and play a pivotal role in securing much needed federal funding.
Telehealth The package extends for an additional two years the Medicare rules allowing expanded access to telehealth services and for employ- ers to offer telehealth services pre-deduct- ible to those with a high-deductible health plan paired with a health savings account. Argentum joined more than 350 organi- zations in urging Congress to extend these telehealth provisions.
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