Advocacy
Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging is committed to staying engaged in, and sharing, the latest public policy news affecting older adults, caregivers and the professionals who care for them. The Washington Update is produced monthly with our partners at Matz, Blancato & Associates to share the latest information about policy issues impacting older adults and their families.
July marked major milestones for programs that serve millions of older Americans, with Medicare, Medicaid, and the Older Americans Act all turning 60. The Americans with Disabilities Act turned 35. Benjamin Rose President and CEO, Orion Bell, participated in NANASP’s Older Americans Act virtual rally. Watch it here.
FY26 Appropriations
Before leaving for August Recess, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed its FY26 appropriations bill for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS). This bill largely funds aging programs at FY25 levels, with slight increases for the Older Americans Act Family Caregiver Support Program and Lifespan Respite Care. The House Appropriations Committee plans to take up its own FY26 LHHS appropriations bill in early September.
Congressional Updates
The Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1) became law on July 4th, making changes that impact older Americans. The legislation extends the 2017 tax cuts and creates a $6,000 annual tax deduction for adults 65 and older. The law also includes modifications to Medicaid and SNAP benefits that affect seniors who rely on these programs.
The Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Rick Scott, Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand, and Senator Katie Britt introduced the Guarding Unprotected Aging Retirees from Deception (GUARD) Act to help protect seniors from financial fraud. The bipartisan bill would give state and local police better tools and training to investigate scams, including new blockchain technology to trace stolen money.
The Senate Aging Committee hosted a hearing on July 30 titled “Awareness to Action: Combating Elder Abuse and Neglect” to examine the continually growing crisis of fraud and scams against older adults. The hearing focused on reauthorizing the Older Americans Act and highlighted its essential elder justice and elder abuse prevention programs. The committee also released its 2025 fraud report, “Age of Fraud: Scams Facing Our Nation’s Seniors,” which shows how financial threats against seniors are rising, especially AI-powered scams. It includes tips to spot red flags, avoid becoming victims, and report scams.
Agency Updates
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a request for comments on the 2026 Physicians Fee Schedule. They are soliciting feedback on how CMS could better support prevention and management of chronic disease, including tapping area agencies on aging and other community based organizations. Comments are due September 12th.
The Administration for Community Living released several grant opportunities. Applications for Evidence-Based Chronic Disease Self-Management and National Lifespan Respite Care and Evidence-Based Falls Prevention are due August 15th. Applications for Supporting Older Adults With Behavioral Health Conditions in the Senior Nutrition Program Setting is due August 20th.
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