Caregiving group pushes Medicare changes and paid leave for family support

Jason Resendez told the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging that family caregivers need better federal support.

The president and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving testified alongside gerontologist Sam Cradduck. He presented three policy changes to lawmakers. These changes aim to fix daily struggles faced by more than 60 million Americans who care for aging parents or other loved ones while working and raising children.

Resendez said the National Alliance for Caregiving wants to address specific pain points. The first priority is reauthorizing and funding the Older Americans Act. This law provides money to state Area Agencies on Aging. Those agencies deliver services such as Meals on Wheels and caregiver support.

He noted that the National Family Caregiver Support Program is one of the few federal line items dedicated to caregiving. The program receives about $200 million annually. It funds respite care, training, education, and outreach. Resendez described that amount as a drop in the bucket compared to the scale of the need.

The second policy push is for a national paid family and medical leave program. Resendez said the United States remains one of the only industrialized nations without such a federal program. Thirteen states and the District of Columbia have created their own programs. Virginia was the first southern state to implement one.

A national program would allow workers to provide care while staying employed and earning income. Resendez argued that this stability helps families keep food on the table.

The third priority involves expanding Medicare. The group wants stronger access to caregiver training and in-home health benefits. Resendez stated that these three policies together would create a stronger foundation for sustainable, dignified, and equitable care.

When asked to choose the most beneficial single policy, Resendez selected Medicare. He argued that changes there would provide immediate support to families. He also said they would modernize a program created in 1965. The demographic of older adults has shifted since that law was written.

Resendez said that in-home health benefits and caregiver support would transform how Americans age. Extending these benefits to all income levels, rather than just those covered by Medicaid, would revolutionize the care landscape. He called this approach a no-brainer for policymakers seeking a bipartisan solution.

Cradduck asked for one concrete step that stakeholders could take in the next 30 days. For Congress, Resendez said the action is to pass the Older Americans Act. He urged legislators to cast votes to reauthorize the law.

For employers, the immediate step is to ask employees if they have caregiving responsibilities. Resendez said employers do not currently ask this question systematically. Without that data, companies cannot design benefits for staff who balance work with caregiving duties.