Announcement/Press release

On Tuesday, October 24th, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), released nearly $3.7 billion in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding to help households with their home energy costs. The funding will help ensure households across the country have the support they need to maintain safe and healthy indoor temperatures, especially as the winter season approaches. LIHEAP is administered by ACF’s Office of Community Services (OCS)...

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for more than 71 million Americans will increase 3.2 percent in 2024. The 3.2 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 66 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2024. Increased payments to approximately 7.5 million SSI recipients will begin on December 29, 2023. (Note: some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits). The maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $168,600. The earnings limit for workers who are younger than "full" retirement age will increase to $22,320...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center’s “Making Care Primary (MCP) Model” team will be answering questions about the forthcoming model in an Office Hours webinar on Tuesday, October 24 at 2:00 p.m. ET. A link to register for the event will be sent via listserv once available. In addition to the live Q&A, attendees will be able to submit questions in advance upon registering. The CMS Innovation Center is currently accepting applications for the Making Care Primary (MCP) Model. Interested organizations are encouraged to begin their applications even if they are not prepared to submit at this time; doing so helps CMS provide more tailored support to applicants. Interested organizations must submit their...

In a proclamation for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, 2023, President Biden acknowledged the significant contributions of disabled Americans to the nation's economy and emphasized the country's commitment to equal dignity, respect, and opportunities for all citizens. The proclamation highlights legislative milestones, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and addresses ongoing challenges, including lower employment rates and wage disparities for individuals with disabilities. President Biden outlines efforts to promote job opportunities, accessibility, and inclusivity, emphasizing the importance of diversity and equity in the workforce while urging all Americans to support equal employment opportunities...

On September 22, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a proposed update of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Uniform Grants Guidance, which are the guidelines issued by OMB to federal agencies for use across all grants and other types of Federal financial assistance. The proposal aims to decrease the burden on recipients of federal financial assistance, advance equity, and meaningfully improve the administration of federal financial assistance. The proposed changes will: Reduce unnecessary compliance costs; Remove barriers to entry; and Ensure assistance serves intended communities. Public comments are due to OMB by Monday, December 4.

NCOA is currently accepting proposals for presentations for two events: The 7th Annual Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day symposium will be held virtually on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Topics include: homelessness; serious mental illness; impact of nutrition on mental health; substance use disorders; and diverse populations. The Age + Action 2024 conference is scheduled for May 6th through 8th, 2024. The session categories are: business acumen; diverse populations; economic security; healthy living; public policy, advocacy & research; and senior centers.

The Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and the Treasury are seeking public input on how best to ensure coverage and access to over-the-counter (OTC) preventive services, including the benefits of requiring most health insurance plans to cover these services at no cost and without a prescription by a health care provider. This new Request for Information solicits comment on access to a range of OTC items recommended by experts for preventive care that can be purchased without a prescription, including contraceptives, tobacco smoking cessation products, folic acid during pregnancy, and breastfeeding supplies.

On October 3, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that all 10 drug companies whose drugs were selected for price negotiation with Medicare for the first cycle of the program have decided to participate in those negotiations. These selected drugs accounted for $50.5 billion in total Part D gross covered prescription drug costs, or about 20%, of total Part D gross covered prescription drug costs between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023, which is the time period used to determine which drugs were eligible for negotiation. According to HHS, Medicare enrollees taking the 10 drugs covered under Part D selected for negotiation paid a total of $3.4 billion in out-of-pocket costs in 2022 for these drugs.

The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is currently seeking applicants for the 2024 WRP talent database. Current, full-time undergraduate or graduate students with disabilities, and recent graduates who received a postsecondary degree on or after April 1, 2021 from a U.S.-accredited college or university, are eligible to apply for WRP in fall 2023. The WRP provides college students and recent graduates with disabilities with career development and potential connections to federal employment. WRP is managed by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the U.S. Department of Defense's Diversity Management Operations Center (DMOC).

On September 26, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) designated people with disabilities as a population with health disparities for research supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Designated populations experience significant disparities in their rates of illness, morbidity, mortality and survival, driven by social disadvantage, compared to the health status of the general population. This designation is one of several steps the NIH is taking to address health disparities experienced by people with disabilities and to ensure representation in NIH research studies.