Why the HCBS Conference Matters to Case Managers and the Future of Home Based Care

Every year, the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Conference, hosted by ADvancing States, brings together many of the people shaping the future of long term services and supports (LTSS) in America.

State, federal and local policymakers join leaders who administer, manage and deliver HCBS programs to discuss practices, policies and challenges affecting care for people of all ages and abilities.

For more than a decade, SurfMed and our sister company, Caring Home Care, have attended the HCBS Conference. For us, participation is about much more than attending presentations. It is an opportunity to understand where home based care is headed and to participate in conversations that can ultimately affect the providers, case managers, caregivers and members we serve.

Why This Year's Conversation Is Especially Important

The 2026 conference comes at a particularly important time for healthcare policy.

With the federal midterm elections approaching, healthcare organizations and advocacy groups are paying close attention to the policy priorities of candidates, elected officials and regulators.

Changes in Congress and state governments can influence healthcare priorities, budgets and regulations for years to come. That makes education and advocacy surrounding HCBS particularly important.

Home based care has become an essential part of the healthcare system. By providing appropriate services and support in the community, HCBS programs can help individuals remain in their homes rather than receiving care in institutional settings.

At the same time, programs supported by federal and state healthcare dollars continually face questions surrounding budgets, reimbursement, regulations and how limited resources should be allocated.

That is why having home based care represented in these conversations matters.

Bringing the Entire Healthcare Community Together

One of the strengths of the HCBS Conference is the diversity of organizations and professionals represented.

Attendees include major managed care organizations, PACE programs, government agencies, advocacy organizations and national and regional providers. Professionals representing home health, personal care, infusion services, kidney care, durable medical equipment and medical supplies are also part of the conversation.

Although each organization approaches healthcare from a different perspective, they share an important challenge: How can we build systems that provide people with the services they need while allowing them to live safely and independently in their communities?

Why Case Managers Should Care

For case managers, these national policy discussions may sometimes feel far removed from the work happening with members every day.

In reality, the two are closely connected.

The experiences case managers document and report can move through their organizations and help leadership identify gaps in care, recurring problems and opportunities for improvement.

At industry meetings and presentations, specific case studies and real world experiences are frequently used to illustrate where healthcare systems are succeeding and where change is needed. The experiences of members and the professionals working directly with them can provide powerful context for larger policy and operational decisions.

That means a case manager who identifies a shortage of providers, difficulty obtaining necessary equipment or another barrier to keeping a member safely at home is doing more than solving an individual case. That information can become part of a much larger conversation.

At SurfMed, attending the HCBS Conference helps us listen, learn and advocate for the needs of the people we serve.

And perhaps one of the most important lessons from these conversations is this: case managers have a voice, and the healthcare system is listening.