Senator Schmitt Introduces Bill to Support Americans with Disabilities, Expand Access to Home Care Services

WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) introduced the Helping Communities with Better Support (HBCS) Act which will expand home and community-based services to those with developmental disabilities.

“As we continue to drive our nation into the Golden Age of America it is crucial we advocate for the most vulnerable in our society, including Americans with disabilities who often need levels of care and support beyond what their families are able to provide. Expanding access to these critical home and community-based services will help support those with disabilities and those who care for them, and I’m proud to lead this effort in the Senate,” said Senator Eric Schmitt.

Background:

• Expand Access to Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS): the bill gives states the option to expand HCBS to more individuals with developmental disabilities while ensuring it doesn’t negatively impact those already eligible.

• Enable Interim Coverage During Onboarding: The bill directs HHS to allow states to provide up to 60 days of interim HCBS for newly eligible individuals, ensuring they receive care while their full care plan is developed.
• Strengthen Oversight of State Waivers: States seeking expanded HCBS waivers must prove that adding new populations won’t increase wait times for existing eligible individuals and must provide estimates and service comparisons to CMS.
• Improve Transparency and Accountability: States must report detailed data on waitlists, service delays, and the percentage of care hours actually delivered. This information will be made public by 2028 through the CMS website

Click HERE to read full text of the bill.

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