Think Differently Database Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 670, the Think Differently Database Act. This legislation would require the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a website to provide people with disabilities information about the different ways that they could be eligible for Medicaid, as well as the services and supports that they can access through each State's Medicaid program and whether there is a wait list to access the home- and community-based services that they often need.

Medicaid is really a lifeline for people with disabilities who are less likely to have access to other sources of coverage, and even when they do have employer-sponsored coverage or Medicare, that coverage typically does not cover the services they need, including home- and community-based services.

Unfortunately, it is often difficult for people with disabilities and their families and caretakers to access the information they need about whether they are eligible for Medicaid in the State in which they live, whether there are wait lists for the services they need, and how to apply for Medicaid.

This bill seeks to overcome some of those barriers by making information available to people with disabilities and their families and caretakers in a single, national resource.

I thank Representatives Sherrill and Molinaro for their leadership on this legislation and encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 670.

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Ms. SCHRIER. Mr. Speaker, I don't have any further speakers on my side, but I just want to express my appreciation to my colleague Representative Molinaro for sharing that personal account of how this matters for his family, and that just expands to so many other families in this country who really deserve to be able to access all of the services they need.

That is why I would reiterate that I very much support the Think Differently Database Act and encourage my colleagues to vote for it.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote for this very important bill that will help so many families, people with disabilities across this country, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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