Statement: President’s Budget Recommends Critical Investments in the Health Care of Older Americans

ARLINGTON, Va., March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The following is a statement from Ramsey Alwin, President and CEO of the National Council on Aging (NCOA), on the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2025:

“Health and wealth are completely intertwined, so we are excited to see that the Biden Administration’s proposed 2025 budget includes much-needed investments in the health and financial security of older adults. Funding Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) will enable more older adults and people with disabilities to remain in their own homes, while also saving federal dollars.

“We applaud the allocation of $10 million to expand the Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center. This will support states in developing strategies to attract, train, and retain direct care professionals to address the critical shortage of workers caring for people at home.

“Charging $2 maximum for generic drugs that treat chronic conditions such as hypertension under Medicare Part D is a great step toward mitigating the cost burden of chronic conditions. This cost is the steepest for women and people of color, who also tend to have limited financial resources. According to our analysis, Black older adults lose $35.3 billion every year to hypertension in out-of-pocket cost for treatment and in lost wages.

“We also welcome the proposal to expand the number of drugs subject to Medicare price negotiations from 20 to 50 per year. Aging well starts early, so we fully support extending the $2,000 out-of-pocket spending cap for prescription drugs that Medicare beneficiaries will start enjoying next year to commercial insurance plans, and the same for the $35 insulin cap. We cannot be healthy if we are burdened by the cost of health care.

“Medicare coverage of nutrition and obesity counseling is long overdue, so we applaud its inclusion in the budget proposal, together with making additional providers eligible to offer these services. More than 40% of people age 60 and over have obesity, and the rates are higher for Black and Latino older adults.

“The President’s budget also eliminates the need for the federal government and states to perform nearly identical eligibility determinations for assistance programs for the same over-burdened individuals. This is an important step toward reducing barriers to enrollment in programs that can help low-income Americans make ends meet.

“We urge Congress to support these proposals that will make it easier for all of us to age with dignity.”

About NCOA
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is the national voice for every person’s right to age well. We believe that how we age should not be determined by gender, color, sexuality, income, or ZIP code. Working with thousands of national and local partners, we provide resources, tools, best practices, and advocacy to ensure every person can age with health and financial security. Founded in 1950, we are the oldest national organization focused on older adults. Learn more at www.ncoa.org and @NCOAging.

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SOURCE National Council on Aging