Appropriations Bill Dec. 20, 2001

TO: State Ombudsmen and Others
FROM: Janet Wells
SUBJECT: Congress Approves Increases for Ombudsmen, Survey and Certification 

The House and Senate have voted to approve a Fiscal Year 2002 appropriations bill that includes:

(1) a $3.5 million increase for state ombudsman/elder abuse programs (with $3 million of the total for ombudsmen);

(2) a $14 million increase for state survey and certification.

The ombudsman appropriation is $.5 million less than the amount approved by the Senate in November and the state survey appropriation is $4.5 million less, but both appropriations are higher than the levels sought by the House and the Administration.

The final appropriations bill brings the total 2002 Older Americans Act funding for ombudsman/elder abuse programs to $17,681,000. The total 2002 Medicare program appropriation for survey and certification is $256,397,000.

In addition, Congress approved $357 million -- a $32.4 million increase -- for supportive centers under the OAA. The National Long Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center is supported through these funds. The Senate called for "continued and increased funding" for the center in its report.

Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI), working with Wisconsin state ombudsman George Potaracke, sponsored the Senate language to increase appropriations for ombudsman programs and surveys. Ombudsmen and citizen advocacy groups in key states contacted their members on the appropriations committees throughout the fall urging them to support higher funding.

The overall 2002 appropriation for aging services programs under the Older Americans Act is $1.2 billion, an increase of approximately $100 million over 2001. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), chair of the Senate health and human services appropriations subcommittee, strongly supported the OAA increases.

The House approved the appropriations bill yesterday by a 393 to 30 vote. The Senate approved it today by a vote of 90 to 7. President Bush is expected to sign it.