Understanding the Federal Budget and Its Impact on Older Adults

For over a decade, annual investments in federal aging services programs not only failed to keep pace with the growth in the number and diversity of older Americans, but also suffered from indiscriminate cuts. Those reductions disproportionately affected vulnerable Americans and struggling communities.

More older adults than ever need assistance and support to make ends meet, a crisis further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The emergency relief provided in response to the pandemic has allowed for assistance to be provided on a scale never seen before, and now aging services programs need continued support to keep up with those demands. Funding for aging services programs, including those of the Older Americans Act (OAA), is a cost-effective investment. Empowering seniors to remain healthy and economically secure in their own homes and communities reduces spending on more costly entitlement programs. Every dollar provided to the aging services network also is leveraged by nearly three dollars in non-federal support.

FY23 and FY24 federal budget proposals

• House appropriations bill includes historic investment in falls prevention (NCOA press release issued on June 30)
• NCOA Board Member Martha Peláez provides testimony maximizing the independence, well-being, and health of older adults through falls prevention (Peláez testified on before the House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies)
• NCOA's Aging Program Funding Table tracks proposes for aging services' funding for FY22 through FY24 (Funding Table updated March 2023)
• NCOA federal budget analyses and issues briefs
• NCOA Action Center provides tools to email members of Congress to support aging services, falls prevention, CDSME, SCSEP, and Medicare SHIP funding

Congressional Dear Colleague Letters advocating for NCOA priorities:

• Letter led by House Democratic Caucus Task Force on Aging and Families requesting increases for the Medicare State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) and Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), signed by 37 Representatives
• Letter led by Reps. Lois Frankel and Joseph Morelle requesting an increase for falls prevention programs, signed by 21 Representatives
• Letter led by Rep. Suzanne Bonamici requesting increases for OAA Title III programs, signed by 129 Representatives
• Letter led by Sen. Chris Murphy requesting an increase for SCSEP, signed by 19 Senators
• Letter led by Sen. Chris Murphy requesting an increase for SHIP, signed by 21 Senators
• Letter led by Sen. Bernie Sanders requesting increases for OAA programs, signed by 42 Senators

Administration FY23 Budget Request:

• Biden's 2023 budget calls for boost in Older Americans Act fuding (read NCOA's analysis of the budget request)
• Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) FY23 budget documents (review the HHS budget in brief narrative and details for each agency request)
• Administration for Community Living (ACL) budget table and congressional justification
• Department of Labor (DOL) budget documents. Review the DOL budget in brief narrative that details agency and key program requests, including SCSEP

FY22 federal budget proposals

• Final FY22 Aging Program Funding (finalized on March 15, 2022)
• NCOA federal budget analyses and issue briefs
• NCOA Action Center with tools to email your members of Congress to support SCSEP, Falls Prevention, CDSME, and Medicare SHIP funding
• NCOA-led joint letter from 41 national organizations urging Congress to provide FY22 increases for falls prevention

Congressional Dear Colleague Letters advocating for NCOA priorities:

• Letter led by House Democratic Caucus Task Force on Aging and Families requesting increases for the Medicare State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) and Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), signed by 47 Representatives
• Letter led by Rep. Joseph Morelle requesting an increase for falls prevention programs, signed by five Representatives
• Letter led by Rep. Suzanne Bonamici requesting increases for Older Americans Act (OAA) programs, signed by 108 Representatives
• Letter led by Sen. Chris Murphy requesting an increase for SCSEP, signed by 19 Senators
• Letter led by Sen. Chris Murphy requesting an increase for SHIP, signed by 21 Senators
• Letter led by Sen. Bernie Sanders requesting increases for OAA programs, signed by 40 Senators

Administration FY22 Budget Request:

• Biden Budget Invests in Aging Programs. Read NCOA’s analysis of the budget request.
• Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) budget documents. Review the HHS Budget in Brief narrative and details for each agency request.
• Administration for Community Living budget overview, table, and congressional justification.
• Department of Labor (DOL) budget documents. Review the DOL Budget in Brief narrative and details agency and key program requests, including SCSEP.

Learn more about the federal budget 

• Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO). This coalition of 69 national aging organizations continues to weigh in on several aspects of the budget debate with issue briefs, fact sheets and correspondence to Congressional and Administration leadership.
• Policy Basics: Introduction to the Federal Budget Process. Understand the difference between a budget request and a budget resolution, from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). 
• U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations. Review the Committee’s description of the federal budget process, and the relationship between appropriations and authorizations.
• Congressional Research Service: The Congressional Appropriations Process, An Introduction. Learn more about the annual budget and appropriations process in this CRS report.
• U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO): A Glossary of Terms Used in the Federal Budget Process. Learn about terms used in budget debates with definitions developed by GAO, the Treasury Department, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).