Health Care Newsletter

Democrats set sights on Medicare home care

by Joseph Choi and Nathaniel Weixel - 05/20/26 6:33 PM ET

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by Joseph Choi and Nathaniel Weixel - 05/20/26 6:33 PM ET

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Health Care

The Big Story

Democrats push Medicare home care

Senate Democrats are honing in on health affordability issues ahead of November’s midterms, signaling what they would do if they can retake control of the upper chamber. Their next target: Medicare home care and nursing home benefits.

Led by Senate Finance Committee ranking member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the group of 17 Democrats sent a “Dear Colleague” letter outlining plans to expand home care, align incentives for improved care in nursing homes and address workforce shortages.

The letter describes the final piece of a three-pronged health plan that the Democrats are using to highlight their health vision and contrast with Republicans.

“Republicans have spent their time in power making long-term care harder to get, including cutting the largest payer of long-term care services, Medicaid, by nearly $1 trillion,” Wyden said in a statement. “In addition, Republicans repealed staffing standards for nursing homes that guaranteed access to a registered nurse 24/7. After Trump promised not to hurt anybody with Medicare and Medicaid, he’s breaking yet another promise.”

Medicare does not cover long-term care beyond limited, short-term medical services.

A round-the-clock home health aide can cost more than $288,000 annually. Full-time personal care services, including help with meals and household tasks, costs about $62,400 per year. A private nursing home room averages more than $120,000 per year.

Meanwhile the typical person with Medicare lives on $36,000 per year, the Democrats noted.

“Families that rely on nursing homes should have the peace of mind that their loved ones will receive quality care, and incentives should reward safe staffing. We want to ensure the Senate is prepared to act on these issues when Democrats have another opportunity to enact the bold, meaningful change the American people demand and deserve,” the senators wrote.

“Families who worked and saved their entire lives often discover there are no affordable options when care is needed most – this is a five-alarm fire.”

Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.

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