S. 2932Senate118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

Housing ACCESS Act

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Updated January 20, 2026 at 11:47 AM UTC

The Housing ACCESS Act directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with HUD and the Treasury, to issue guidance to state Medicaid agencies, public housing agencies, Continuums of Care, and housing finance agencies on how to connect Medicaid beneficiaries with housing‑related services and other housing resources. It also requires HHS to conduct a national study on appropriate reimbursement rates for those services and to report progress to Congress.

Key Provisions

Issue guidance within 12 months on linking Medicaid recipients to housing services, including simplifying processes for health and housing providers.
Require agencies to develop memoranda of understanding that align eligibility criteria, determination processes, and outcome measures, including housing stability and health outcomes by race.
Encourage housing service providers to seek Medicaid reimbursement and provide instructions on eligibility and outcome tracking.
Mandate a report to Congress within two years on agency progress, adoption of guidance, and challenges faced.
Conduct and publish a national rate study within two years to set fair reimbursement rates that support living wages and appropriate case manager‑to‑client ratios.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

September 26, 2023

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

September 26, 2023

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

September 26, 2023

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 2932 on the floor

1 Democrat

Sen. Tammy BaldwinD-WI · Jul 26, 2023

Mr. President, today I rise to honor posthumously half- brothers Captain Robert C. Harmon and Private John R. Peirson from New Richmond, WI, who both made the ultimate sacrifice for our great Nation…

A week before the D-Day invasion on the Normandy coast and on his 51st mission, Captain Harmon's plane was shot down over occupied France by German artillery. Initially listed as missing-in-action, Captain Harmon was officially declared dead on May 29, 1945, by the U.S. War Department.

Motivated by a sense of duty to his country, as well as the loss of his older half-brother, Private Peirson enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was mortally wounded during the April 16, 1945, Easter Day assault on the island of Okinawa, Japan, and died of his wounds the following day.

A joint memorial service was held in New Richmond, WI, on April 26, 1949, for the repatriated remains of the two fallen brothers. They are buried side by side at the Fort Snelling Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN. Both were posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.

In recognition of their service and sacrifice, I was proud to sponsor and witness successful passage of S. 2932 during the 117th Congress, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 430 South Knowles Avenue in New Richmond, WI, as the ``Captain Robert C. Harmon and Private John R. Peirson Post Office Building.'' This legislation was passed in the Senate by unanimous consent on May 25, 2022, and was signed into law by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., on December 29, 2022.

The official dedication and celebration of the Captain Robert C. Harmon and Private John R. Peirson Post Office Building will take place on August 25, 2023. Family, friends, fellow veterans, elected leaders, and community members will come together to remember these brothers and their service to our country. Local support of this dedication includes the New Richmond City Council, along with Mayors Fred Horne and Jim Zajkowski; the New Richmond Chamber of Commerce; the Butler-Harmon American Legion Post 80; and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10818 New Richmond/St. Croix County. Special recognition is due to Ms. Sally Berkholder who has been a tireless advocate for this dedication and ensuring that the family and community is able to properly celebrate and honor the service of the Harmon/Peirson brothers.

Captain Harmon and Private Peirson heroically gave their lives serving our country during World War II. They bravely fought for our American values and freedom, and we are indebted by their sacrifice. I am proud that their memory will live on by the official dedication of the New Richmond Post Office as the ``Captain Robert C. Harmon and Private John R. Peirson Post Office Building.''

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued September 26, 2023

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 2932

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 26 (legislative day, September 22), 2023

Mr. Markey (for himself, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Blumenthal, and Mr. Booker) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide guidance to State Medicaid agencies, public housing agencies, Continuums of Care, and housing finance agencies on connecting Medicaid beneficiaries with housing-related services and supports under Medicaid and other housing resources, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Housing Alignment and Coordination of Critical and Effective Supportive Health Services Act or the Housing ACCESS Act.

Guidance to States on connecting Medicaid beneficiaries with housing-related services and supports and other housing resources

(a)

In general

Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary of the Treasury, shall issue guidance to State Medicaid agencies, public housing agencies, Continuums of Care, and housing finance agencies to connect individuals who are receiving medical assistance under a State Medicaid program to Medicaid housing-related services and supports and other housing resources in an integrated manner.

(b)

Required information

The guidance issued pursuant to subsection (a) shall include information on—

(1)

simplifying health care services for housing and homelessness service providers and simplifying housing support services for health care service providers to understand the respective sectors;

(2)

developing a memorandum of understanding between State Medicaid agencies, public housing agencies, Continuums of Care, and housing finance agencies that—

(A)

coordinates housing-related services and supports provided under a State Medicaid program with other housing resources by aligning—

(i)

eligibility criteria;

(ii)

eligibility determination processes; and

(iii)

outcome measures, including housing stability and health outcomes disaggregated by race;

(B)

encourages providers of housing-related services and supports to seek reimbursement for such services and supports through the State Medicaid program, including by—

(i)

explaining how such providers may receive such reimbursement;

(ii)

helping such providers understand the eligibility determination process for housing-related services and supports offered under the State Medicaid program; and

(iii)

providing guidance with respect to tracking common outcome measures, including housing stability and health outcomes disaggregated by race; and

(3)

existing authorities under which a State Medicaid program may make Federal funds available to providers of housing-related services and supports to build information technology and financial systems and establish adequate infrastructure and staffing levels to seek Medicaid reimbursement.

(c)

Reporting

Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary of the Treasury, shall submit a report to Congress that includes—

(1)

information on the progress of State Medicaid agencies, public housing agencies, Continuums of Care, and housing finance agencies in aligning eligibility criteria, eligibility determination processes, and outcome tracking;

(2)

information on the adoption by such agencies and Continuums of Care of recommendations made in the guidance issued pursuant to subsection (a); and

(3)

feedback from States on such guidance and challenges faced by States in connecting individuals receiving medical assistance under a State Medicaid program with housing-related services and supports and other housing resources.

(d)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Continuum of Care

The term Continuum of Care has the meaning given such term in section 578.3 of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations.

(2)

State Medicaid program

The term State Medicaid program means a State plan for medical assistance under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.), and includes any waiver of such a plan.

National rate study on the cost of housing-related services and supports

(a)

In general

The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the Secretary) shall conduct a national rate study on the cost of housing-related services and supports to determine appropriate rates for such services and supports that will allow providers of such services and supports to pay living wages, reduce staff turnover, and ensure a maximum case manager-to-client ratio of 1:15 in alignment with the evidence-base for strong supportive housing outcomes. Such study shall include an analysis of reimbursement rates for services provided by certified community behavioral health clinics (as such term is used in section 223 of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (42 U.S.C. 1396a note)) and Federally-qualified health centers (as defined in section 1905(l)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(l)(2)(B))) that promote integrated care, which may include, but is not limited to, housing-related supports and services, and serve people with complex conditions.

(b)

Publication

Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish the results of the study conducted under this section as guidance to State Medicaid agencies.