Rep. Angie Craig Leads Minnesota Lawmakers in Bipartisan Call to Expand In-Home Care Options for Minnesotans

BURNSVILLE, MN – U.S. Representative Angie Craig led a bipartisan group of Minnesota lawmakers in urging Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand Minnesota’s Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) Program. 

CFSS is a health care program that provides Minnesotans of all ages and abilities with flexible in-home care options and covers services such as eating, shopping, cooking, laundry assistance and health-related tasks.   

In a letter, the lawmakers urged CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to ensure this program is implemented swiftly in Minnesota. 

“Minnesota’s CFSS program allows recipients to choose to use a portion of their budget to purchase goods or services, increasing their independence. They would also have additional access to support planning to ensure informed choice through consultation services. These flexibilities would support patients in their homes and communities without requiring 1915(c) waiver eligibility,” wrote the lawmakers.

“These benefits are consistent with CMS’s goals of encouraging a person-centered, long-term support system and giving people the opportunity to decide where they live and which services they receive,” they continued. 

The letter was co-led by Senator Amy Klobuchar and co-signed by Senator Tina Smith and Representatives Pete Stauber, Betty McCollum, Ilhan Omar and Dean Phillips.

A full copy of the lawmakers’ letter can be found here.

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