Argentum staff met last week with the office of Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), joined by Christopher Carter, President of the Connecticut Assisted Living Association (CALA), to discuss the industry’s feedback on the recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report examining federal spending in assisted living settings. The meeting reinforced Argentum’s strong disagreement with the report’s premise and conclusions and cautioned against using its findings to advance a one-size-fits-all federal regulatory framework modeled after nursing home oversight. Argentum thanks CALA for its partnership in helping amplify the voice of senior living providers on Capitol Hill.
The meeting with Senator Blumenthal’s office reflects Argentum’s broader, ongoing dialogue with members of the Senate Special Committee on Aging regarding the GAO report and its implications for assisted living. In recent weeks, Argentum and representatives from our State Partners have met with the offices of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Committee, and Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA), also on the committee, to share industry concerns and provide important context regarding the report’s findings.
Throughout these discussions, Argentum has consistently emphasized that, while the report highlights billions of dollars in federal spending associated with residents of assisted living communities, the overwhelming majority of those funds are not paid directly to assisted living providers. Rather, they flow through state Medicaid programs, Medicare-covered healthcare services, and other federally regulated entities that support older adults residing in assisted living communities.
Argentum also expressed concern that the report could be used to justify the imposition of a federal regulatory framework modeled after nursing home oversight. We reiterated that states have long served as the primary regulators of assisted living, designing oversight structures that reflect the needs of residents and providers within their jurisdictions. Expanding federal regulation would undermine the flexibility that distinguishes assisted living, increase compliance costs, and could ultimately reduce provider participation in Medicaid waiver programs, limiting access to housing, services, and care options for older adults.
In addition to discussing the GAO report, Argentum used these meetings to continue advocating for congressional action on the Older Americans Act (OAA) Reauthorization Act. Argentum has urged the House Education and Workforce Committee leadership to take up the legislation following its unanimous passage in the Senate. The bill would reauthorize OAA programs through Fiscal Year 2030 and includes several priorities supported by Argentum, including a new White House Conference on Aging, initiatives to promote multigenerational engagement and volunteerism, and programs designed to combat social isolation among older adults.
Argentum will continue engaging members of the Senate Aging Committee, House lawmakers, and other key stakeholders to ensure policymakers understand the unique role assisted living plays in the long-term care continuum and the potential consequences of applying a one-size-fits-all federal regulatory approach to the sector. We thank the Connecticut Assisted Living Association, the Empire State Association of Assisted Living, and the Georgia Senior Living Association for partnering with us in these important conversations and helping amplify the voice of senior living providers on Capitol Hill.