The DC Perspective: Aging Services After the 2018 Midterm Election

Posted on November 14, 2018 by Jodi Boyne

The midterm election brought some big changes for members of Congress with jurisdiction over aging services issues, as well as a fresh outlook on what may be accomplished in the upcoming lame duck session and in the new Congress that will convene in January. 

The Democrats successfully secured control in the U.S. House of Representatives, which means committee chairs will change and Democrats will gain more seats on key committees with jurisdiction over Medicare, Medicaid, affordable housing and appropriations. In addition, and perhaps most important to our members, a Democrat-led U.S. House will dampen any effort by Republicans to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or change Medicaid to a block grant or per capita system.

There are new opportunities ahead in terms of legislative advocacy on the federal level, as the election results from last week resulted in a host of new members and historic diversity – with more than 100 women winning seats, and new African-American, Muslim, Latino/Latina and Native American House members.  

For more perspective on the midterm election results and what it means for our field, read Aging Services After the 2018 Midterm Elections and 2018 Election Outcome: Opportunities and Challenges.