Older Americans Act reauthorization in limbo: What to know

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the budget situation as of noon ET on Dec. 20.

Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, which provides vital services to millions of people 60 and older, might be on pause until next year, despite a unanimous Senate vote on Dec. 10 to renew this vital piece of legislation. The Act requires Congressional reauthorization every five years.

Renewing the Older Americans Act would boost existing funding and add several new programs and services for older people. With only days left before the end of the 118th Congress, there’s been a push in the House to pass the bill and send it to President Biden for his signature. 

On Dec. 17, a bipartisan deal was struck by Congressional leaders that would have delayed the current government funding deadline to March 14, Politico reported. Existing programs and services would continue at current fiscal levels, leaving it up to the next Congress to pass a comprehensive budget package. 

However, House Republicans backtracked on that agreement after President-elect Trump voiced opposition to it, leaving the budget in limbo and a government shutdown looming without another deal by midnight on Dec. 20.  Essential workers and critical programs like Veteran’s benefits, Social Security and Medicare would continue, according to USA Today, but non-essential services will be on hold.

“We thought we had a clear path to reauthorization of the Older Americans Act and extension of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act. Now, it looks like Congress is back to square one. The aging services network is scrambling to ensure older adults — especially those with low incomes — are not left out of the final funding bill,” said Ramsey Alwin, president and CEO of the National Council on Aging in a LinkedIn post on Dec. 20.

Older Americans Act reauthorization is caught up in this “kick the can” strategy until a new deal is reached, but vital services will continue to operate at fiscal year 2024 levels, according to Bob Blancato, executive director of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs.

“The lack of a reauthorization should not hurt it this time, but if the DOGE group gets to work and starts working on programs that have not been authorized — funding from March on might get a little dicey,” he said in an email.

Why this matters

While Meals on Wheels may be one of its best-known programs, The Older Americans Act supports many other initiatives, including: 

• Information and referral services. 
• Congregate meals at senior centers.
• Health and wellness programs.
• In-home care.
• Transportation.
• Elder abuse prevention.
• Caregiver support.
• Research and training.
• Grants for services to Native American elders.
• Adult daycare.

During the 2018-2019 federal shutdown, programs and services under the Department of Health and Human Services — including the Administration for Community Living, which administers the Older Americans Act and other Administration on Aging (AOA) programs, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, the Social Security Administration, and most other agencies that provide direct services and benefits to older adults — continued, according to USAging. 

However, some critical support programs that served older adults under other agencies were at risk of being suspended, such as senior housing programs, transportation programs and some nutritional services had the shutdown lasted much longer. 

According to a joint statement from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), chair and ranking member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, respectively, the Older Americans Act addresses the urgent, unmet needs of millions of seniors in the U.S., and what society can do to help reduce hunger and improve the health and wellness of some of the most vulnerable people in America. 

“Not only does the Older Americans Act save lives and ease human suffering, it saves money by keeping seniors out of the hospital. We are actively working with our colleagues in the House to get this critical legislation signed into law this year,” they said.

More funding and additional services

If signed into law as-is, the legislation will reauthorize Older Americans Act funding from $2.3 billion this year to $2.76 billion in Fiscal Year 2025 – a 20% increase compared to last year. The Act’s reauthorization also makes improvements to the law to better support family caregivers and direct care workers and takes steps to better serve tribal seniors, older workers, and those with disabilities. 

The measure is being “held at the desk,” meaning it may be pending a referral to the committee if the House anticipates using a Senate bill, a process of resolving differences with the Senate. Messages from the Senate, including Senate-passed bills and Senate amendments to House-passed measures, are referred (or not) at the discretion of the Speaker, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Some notable additions to the Older Americans Act by the Senate include an increase in authorized funding and key provisions from the Strengthening Advocacy for Long-Term Care Residents Act to improve the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program:

• It instructs the Administration for Community Living to establish categories of duties for volunteers and appropriate training requirements for volunteers based on those categories, reaffirm Congress’ intent that the Ombudsman program should be led by a full-time National Director, and require a study and report with a recommendation for the number of ombudsmen per long term care facility bed.
• Includes a provision of the Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act, instructing the Administration for Community Living to create a technical assistance center to support the recruitment, training, and retention of direct care workers. The ACL established this center in 2022; this provision codifies the existence of this center in statute and expands its work to include supporting family caregivers.
• Includes language to ensure proper implementation of a statute that allows Area Agencies on Aging to contract with outside entities to bring in revenue that these agencies reinvest in their work to serve older Americans.

“The 2024 OAA reauthorization reflects a holistic approach to aging, recognizing that older adults need more than just health care to thrive. By addressing social, economic, and health-related factors, the OAA aims to create a society where older adults can age with dignity and security. And the emphasis on caregiver support and equitable service delivery ensures that communities are better equipped to provide the necessary care and assistance,”  Ohio elder law attorney Joseph Motta wrote.


The reauthorized Older Americans Act also incorporates elements of the Native ELDER Act, a bill sponsored by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (I-AK) and Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), These provisions will improve federal programs and services for Alaska Native, American Indian and Native Hawaiian elders. 

Since first signed into law in 1965, the Older Americans Act has provided vital services to millions of vulnerable seniors in 56 state and territorial units on aging, more than 600 Area Agencies on Aging, more than 270 Title VI Native American Aging Programs, and more than 20,000 community service providers.

Resources

• Older Americans Act: Overview and Funding, Congressional Research Service 
• Older Americans Act overview, USAging 
• Testimony from National Council on Aging President NCOA President and CEO Ramsey Alwin before the U.S. Senate Committee Health, Education, Labor & Pensions 
• A breakdown of additional provisions in the 2025 bill, ThinkAdvisor