Sponsors (15)
Official title: Prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities who need long-term services and supports, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 23, 2026 by Michael F. Bennet · Last progress June 23, 2026
The bill would substantially expand federal rights and supports to move people from institutions into community‑based LTSS—improving autonomy, housing access, enforcement, and consumer control—while imposing significant costs, implementation burdens, and legal and operational risks for governments, providers, insurers, and potentially some beneficiaries.
People with disabilities and Medicaid beneficiaries gain a federal right to receive long‑term services and supports (LTSS) in the most integrated, community‑based settings rather than institutions, expanding autonomy and choice.
Low‑income individuals, people with disabilities, and seniors-retirees would have greater access to affordable, accessible, integrated housing options (not tied to receipt of services), improving housing stability for beneficiaries.
People with LTSS needs gain stronger enforcement and legal remedies — including federal investigation, potential DOJ action, and private lawsuits with damages and fee‑shifting — improving the ability to secure community‑based care.
State and local governments, LTSS insurers, and taxpayers face significant new costs from required transition plans, expanded community services, housing supports, mandated payment rates, compliance, and reporting obligations.
Hospitals, health systems, community providers, and workers may be strained — the workforce, service capacity, and provider operations could face disruption during implementation, risking delays or gaps in care.
Insurers, managed‑care plans, or state programs might respond to cost pressures by restricting covered services, changing eligibility, or raising premiums, which could reduce real access for some beneficiaries.
Based on analysis of 9 sections of legislative text.
Creates a federal right to community‑based long‑term services and supports, mandates state transition plans and public participation, and provides enforcement tools and penalties for nondiscrimination.
Creates a federal right for people who need long‑term services and supports (LTSS) to receive community‑based care in the most integrated setting they choose. It requires public entities and LTSS insurance providers to offer and provide community‑based LTSS, sets detailed definitions and standards for what counts as community‑based services and settings, mandates planning and public participation, and establishes enforcement tools including federal regulation, private lawsuits, Attorney General enforcement, and civil penalties. The law directs HHS and the Administration for Community Living to oversee planning, review state transition plans, and study barriers and disparities, and it requires the Attorney General to issue implementing regulations within two years. It also preserves limited religious organization preferences and instructs courts to interpret key provisions by reference to analogous civil‑rights statutes.