S-4865 — Latonya Reeves Freedom Act of 2026

YourVoice.Now Summary

Civil LibertiesYour MoneyWorkers & JobsCorporate BenefitsTransparency & Accountability

Gives disabled people who need daily help a right to get that care at home instead of in a nursing home.

Civil Liberties

Right to long-term care at home — not just nursing homes

If you would qualify for a nursing home or similar facility, the state or insurer paying for it would have to offer you care in your own community instead. You could still pick a facility if you want one.

Right to sue over denied home care — starts in 2 years

People who are denied home care, or who are about to be, could ask a federal court for help. Courts could order care to start right away, award money for harm, and waive filing fees.

Your Money

Housing priority for disabled people leaving institutions — lowest incomes first

Agencies and insurers that fund housing would have to set aside or give priority to housing for disabled people leaving or avoiding facilities, where needed. People with the lowest incomes would come first.

Waiting lists and cost caps for home care — not allowed

Making you wait on a list for home care, or capping how much care you can get, would count as illegal bias. The ban applies to states, local governments, and insurers that pay for this care.

Rules requiring unpaid family care first — not allowed

A state or insurer could not delay or limit your care by first requiring you to use help from family or friends.

Workers & Jobs

Home care payment rates — must be enough to keep staff

States and insurers would have to set payment rates high enough to keep enough care workers on the job. Failing to do so would count as illegal bias against the people who need care.

Corporate Benefits

Insurers' option to pay only for nursing homes — ended

The rules cover any public or private group that pays for long-term care, including private insurers. If it would pay for your nursing home stay, it would have to offer care at home too.

Transparency & Accountability

Public self-review of care services — posted online within 3 years

Each state agency and insurer would review its services within 36 months. It would count how many people live in facilities versus at home, with data on race and on women and veterans, and post the review online.

Yearly public progress reports — on moving people out of institutions

States and insurers with a plan to fix gaps would post a report each year on their progress. Their plans must set yearly targets for moving people and money from facilities to home care.

Complaint process and named staff contact — required

Each state agency and insurer would name at least one employee to handle compliance and complaints. They would also have to publish a fair, quick process for resolving complaints.

Federal fines for states and insurers — up to $200,000

The Justice Department could sue states and insurers that show a pattern of breaking these rules, or in cases of public importance. Courts could fine them up to $100,000 for a first violation and up to $200,000 for each later one.

More about this bill

If you have a disability and need daily help to live on your own, you would gain a federal right to get it at home. States, local governments, and public or private insurers that pay for nursing home care could not deny you care in the community instead. That help covers tasks like cooking, chores, shopping, taking medicine, and handling money. It also covers health tasks like using a ventilator or a feeding tube. Group homes with more than 4 unrelated disabled residents would not count as living in the community. You could still choose a nursing home or another setting if you prefer. The bill lists practices that would count as illegal bias. These include waiting lists, cost caps, and rules that make you rely on unpaid family help first. Paying too little to keep enough care workers would also count. So would failing to offer home care before placing you in a facility. Agencies and insurers would also have to help you find affordable, accessible housing that is not tied to your care. The Justice Department would write the rules within 2 years. Within 3 years, states and insurers would have to review their services and post the results online. Those that fall short would have to submit a fix-it plan within 54 months. They would have to fully comply within 12 years of the bill becoming law. Starting 2 years after it becomes law, you could sue for court orders and money, including punitive damages. The Justice Department could seek fines of up to $100,000 for a first violation and $200,000 after that. Religious groups could still choose to serve people of their own faith first.

Congressional Summary

Latonya Reeves Freedom Act of 2026 This bill prohibits government entities and insurance providers from denying community-based services to individuals with disabilities that require long-term service or support that would enable such individuals to live in the community and lead an independent life. Specifically, these entities may not discriminate against such individuals in the provision of community-based services by such actions as imposing prohibited eligibility criteria, cost caps, or waiting lists or failing to provide a specific community-based service. Additionally, community-based services must be offered to individuals with such disabilities prior to institutionalization. Institutionalized individuals must be notified regularly of community-based alternatives. The bill requires the Department of Justice to issue regulations requiring government entities and insurance providers to offer community-based long-term services to individuals with such disabilities who would otherwise qualify for institutional placement. Government entities must ensure sufficient availability of affordable, accessible, and integrated housing that is not a disability-specific residential setting or a setting where services are tied to tenancy. Regulations shall also (1) require government entities and insurance providers to perform self-evaluation on current services, policies, and practices and concerning compliance with requirements of this bill; and (2) require government entities to submit a transition plan. The bill allows civil actions by individuals subjected to, or about to be subjected to, a violation of its requirements.

Details

Congress: 119th
Chamber: Senate
Status: summarized
Action: Introduced in Senate
Action Date: 2026-06-23
Date Added: 2026-10-23
Source: Congress.gov →

Like reading a bill in plain English?

We're building an app that does this for every bill in Congress and lets you tell your reps how you want them to vote. We're a small team getting ready to launch, and we're trying to show investors that real people want this. Be one of them. Help us get it built. Leave your email and we'll tell you the moment the app is ready.