Today, approximately 65 million people provide
care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family
member or friend. And too often, I’ve seen some of
the most dedicated family caregivers wear themselves
down to the point where they have nothing left to
give, and nothing left to plan for their own
eventual long-term care needs. Caregivers, and
indeed all Americans, should consider an important
piece of the health care reform legislation – the
CLASS Act – as a tool to help avoid an
all-too-common caregiver dilemma – giving it all
away.
According to industry estimates, less than 10
percent of older adults in the United States have
purchased private long-term care (LTC) insurance. As
a result, Medicaid now accounts for 40 percent of
all long-term care services delivered. In some
instances, individuals living on the financial edge
are forced into poverty in order to receive the
long-term care services they need, but cannot
afford.
I’ve spent much of my career helping family
caregivers access the resources to care for loved
ones. I’ve encouraged individuals to plan for the
future and not let their present caregiving
responsibilities distract from that goal. That is
why I’m greatly encouraged by this key provision in
the new health care reform law aimed to help
Americans plan ahead. The Community Living
Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act is
designed to encourage and empower people to engage
in LTC planning, in the belief that we can improve
the way we provide health and support services to
the elderly and disabled in the future.
The CLASS Act establishes a voluntary, long-term
care insurance program that will provide cash
benefits to eligible enrollees so that they can
receive the specific services they choose in the
comfort of their own homes or in a community-based
setting. By paying a monthly premium, expected to be
more affordable than currently priced private
policies, enrollees will be eligible for a flexible
benefit that can be used to pay for a home health
aide, transportation, assistive technology such as
lifts, wheelchairs and communication devices, adult
day care and respite care.
The success of the CLASS Act, like the future of
long-term care itself, will depend ultimately on
participation across every level of society. It will
require awareness from both individuals and
businesses alike. In fact, employers could be the
key to making sure that the CLASS Act succeeds;
because under the terms of the law, they can offer
their employees the opportunity to pay their
premiums through a payroll deduction.
In a 2009 survey on the economic downturn’s impact
on family caregiving, conducted by Evercare and the
National Alliance for Caregiving, 13 percent of
surveyed working caregivers indicated that the
economic downturn has caused them to spend more on
caregiving expenses. Six out of 10 of these
individuals reported having difficulty paying for
their own basic necessities, while 63 percent are
saving less for retirement. These are deeply
troubling statistics.
I know that the struggles I see in my community are
replicated around the country. Too many frail
elders, disabled adults and their families are
unprepared to meet their long-term care needs. The
stress on working caregivers, in particular, will
continue to grow unless more action is taken to make
long-term care a long-term priority at the
individual, local and national level. That’s why I
will continue to advocate for greater LTC planning
and encourage individuals to consider their options
including the soon-to-be established public
long-term care insurance program.
Jose Fox is CEO of Miami-based United HomeCare, a
private not-for-profit home health and community
care organization, and serves as the president of
Florida’s Community Care for the Elderly Coalition
and as a district representative for the Home Care
Association of Florida. Visit
www.unitedhomecare.com.
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