Senate Aging Committee Addresses Long-Term Services and Supports

Senate Aging Committe hearing on long-term care

Yesterday, the Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing entitled, Health Care Reform in an Aging American. AAHSA applauded the committee and its chair, Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), for focusing its hearing on how long-term services and support must be a part of health care reform this year.

“Our message is a simple one: any serious health reform proposal must address long-term care,” Kohl said in his opening remarks. “With America aging at an unprecedented rate, and with the high and rising costs of caring for a loved one, it is crucial that long-term
care services are addressed.”

While AAHSA was not invited to testify before the committee, we offered a statement. Also, Larry Minnix, AAHSA’s president and CEO,  managed to get some face time with Sens. Kohl and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

Larry Minnix meets with Sens. Wyden and Kohl.

Some of our other staff also had a few minutes with the senators.

AAHSA's Barbara Manard...with a bumper sticker on her back.

The panel of experts testifying before the committee addressed various aspects of long-term care, including the provision of long-term care through Medicare, a federal program, and Medicaid, which is administered jointly by the federal and state governments.

One idea that was mentioned in more than one testimony was the CLASS Act, or Community Living Assistance Services and Supports, which was introduced by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) in the 110th Congress. It would create an insurance program for adults who become functionally disabled.

Judy Feder, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C., testified that “the CLASS Act would provide an initial cash benefit of $50 or $100 per day, depending on disability level, for people to use on non-medical services and supports. Dollar amounts would increase with inflation.”

We like the idea because it’s very similar to our own Long-Term Care Solution, which is a national insurance model that promotes consumer choice, offers benefit options and benefit the public without creating unreasonable financial burdens. We’re pushing for the inclusion of a similar provision in any health reform legislation this Congress considers.

On March 4, 2009, the day before the Senate hearing, AAHSA and a collation of groups including the Alzheimer’s Association, Easter Seals, and the National Council on Aging, conducted a Congressional Call-In Day, asking members, friends, and family to ask the Senate to demonstrate leadership by including long-term services and supports in upcoming legislation.

With Medicaid costs for long-term care expected to double (constant dollars) by 2025 and increase five-fold by 2045, addressing the issue now will save money in the long run.

“We should acknowledge that the rising costs of health care and long-term care do not only affect the government,” said Kohl. “More than one-fifth of all long-term care spending comes directly out of the pockets of individuals and their family members.”

“We also know that tens of millions of family caregivers provide long-term care to loved ones every day, yet have little or no access to support for themselves,” Kohl added. “As part of our long-term care strategy, we need to provide support to family caregivers.”

For more information on AAHSA’s Long-Term Care Financing Solution, click here.