Category: Legislative Updates

President Biden has announced that the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) will officially end on May 11, 2023. This PHE was initially announced in early 2020 and has been renewed in multiple 90-day increments since then, most recently on Jan. 11.   What Ending the PHE Means for DMEPOS Suppliers

There are several provisions that...

On May 6, 2022, U.S. Representatives Charlie Crist (D-FL) and Thomas Suozzi (D-NY) introduced the Home Modification for Accessibility Act into Congress. This legislation provides tax incentives for home modifications so seniors and those with disabilities can more easily and safely continue living in their own homes. Under this legislation, homeowners will be able to take proactive measures to modify and update their homes, allowing them to safely and comfortably age in place, and creating new job...

Exciting News on the Legislative Front – Action Needed NOW! We were on a call last week with the HomesRenewed Coalition leaders, and there will be an official bill introduced in the next few days. The not-yet-named bill will allow tax deductions on expenditures of $30,000 for people under age 59 and a half and another $30,000 for people over the age of 59 and a half. In other words, people under age 59 and a half can dip into their retirement funds without penalty or tax...

The home accessibility industry is hitting a pivotal turning point in 2021. Compacted with the pandemic and more seniors wanting to age in place and overall demographics of the United States, the biggest segment of growth in home accessibility is the senior private pay segment. The number of increasingly older Americans continues to grow. And of these individuals, over 80% say they want to remain in their own home. However, most housing isn’t accessible. Aging in place has gotten a lot of...

Home Access Legislation Starting to Move Forward The month of May has seen much activity on the home accessibility federal legislation front! The HomesRenewed Coalition has been working very hard to get a bill introduced that would provide tax incentives for homeowners on defined home modifications and safety upgrades. Rep. Tom Swuozzi from NY has agreed to draft a bill that would allow people to use retirement funds on home modifications. HomesRenewed will allow members...

In the last month, we have seen many more businesses open at a greater capacity, and with it has come a feeling in the air that both our professional and personal lives are about get much better. This week, many of us here at VGM were able to return to the office and I got to escape my space in the bedroom office at home! Seeing co-workers in person and having personal interactions never felt so good. We will have several new opportunities to talk about in the next few months as we see increased...

The Longevity Revolution: Getting Good Housing Prepared for Seniors Through Legislation Allowing seniors to age in place has become even more important due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. However, homes are not necessarily built for aging adults. VGM Live at Home is working with HomesRenewed Coalition to introduce and hopefully pass legislation allowing for tax incentives that influence homeowners to update their homes in advance of a health crisis, allowing them to age in place...

The VGM Live at Home membership community is well aware of the types of hazards lurking within homes across America – hazards that can easily cause trips, slips, and falls. Among the elderly and those with disabilities, falls are a very serious concern. Such so that the U.S. Senate’s Special Committee on Aging invites stakeholders throughout the United States to provide recommendations that will advance the goal of reducing the risk of falls and fall-related injuries. This is a...

By Collin Brecher, VGM Government Relations Efforts on Capitol Hill are ramping up as legislation has been introduced in Congress to incentivize seniors to update their existing homes with home safety products and renovations. VGM Live at Home is teaming up with HomesRenewed™, an organization dedicated to further developing the home modification market, to advocate for this legislation on behalf of the Live at Home membership. H.R. 1780, the Senior Accessible Housing Act, has been introduced...

By Collin Brecher, VGM Government Relations As an estimated 10,000 baby boomers are expected to retire per day for the next two decades, there will be an unprecedented amount of seniors (60+) wanting to stay in the comfort of their own homes. In order to do that safely and prevent debilitating falls, homes will need to be modified in order for many boomers to maintain their independence. A new bill introduced in Congress – H.R. 1780, Senior Accessible Housing Act – would give seniors...