Last week, Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI) introduced legislation to extend a program used to transfer individuals out of nursing homes and back into the community. The “Money Follows the Person” program provides grants to states to pay for transition services, from hiring a housing coordinator to purchasing furniture for a new apartment. The program had been utilized previously but expired in 2016, though some states have funds through the end of this year. The bill is a companion piece to recent Senate legislation discussed in a previous article, S. 2227, or the Empower Care Act, that addresses issues with the current systems and methods forcing people to choose nursing home care over staying at home.
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