Thread by @CitizenCohn

Via multiple sources, Dem budget negotiators may scale back funding increase for home and community-based care. Like, by more than half -- from $400B, which was what Biden proposed, to below $200B.

Very much in flux, nothing decided. (1)

This is the initiative to boost funding of home care aides and other services that let the elderly, people w/disabilities live at home, stay in labor force, etc. (2)

huffpost.com/entry/joe-bide…

Medicaid funds these services, but with limited allotments. That creates long waiting lists, plus the care workers are famously underpaid. huffpost.com/entry/joe-bide… (3)

Context for this particular discussion is the internal debate over how to put together a budget resolution that includes as much of the Dem/Biden agenda as possible and still has votes to pass.

Even $3.5T can't fund all the priorities. And that number could still come down. (4)

A $200B increase would still be very substantial.

Even so, it would be short of what it takes to accomplish the goal -- in this case, putting home/community care on equal footing w/institutional care & raising worker pay. Even $400B wouldn't be enough. (5)

Expect to see this dynamic play out on a bunch of other agenda items over coming weeks and months, as Democrats move from top-line budget number to specific legislation w/CBO scores -- and, inevitably, are negotiating among themselves to keep caucuses together. (6)

And a reminder that, on the health care side, a lot depends on prescription drug reform.

The more savings there, the more funds available for other priorities. huffpost.com/entry/prescrip… (7)

Standard disclaimer: Even well-placed, insider sources don't always know the truth, or at least full truth, or what is happening or being discussed. Especially now with so many moving legislative pieces.

Read all reporting on negotiations, including mine, with that in mind. (8)