The CLASS Act (CLASS = Community Living Assistance Services), was established as a part of the new healthcare law. As senior caregiving services are currently not paid for by Medicare, the health insurance program for all U.S. seniors beginning at age 65, the CLASS Act would be a way to pay for senior caregiving services.
The CLASS Act specifics have a deadline of October, 2012, with the Health and Human Services department outlining specifics. We share the basic guidelines which have been established in this news story on Caregiverlist. The daily benefit is expected to be from $50 to $75 and to qualify you must pay in to the long-term care insurance plan for a minimum of 5 years.
The National Alliance for Caregiving has reached out to Caregiverlist to ask us to share their advocacy efforts for the CLASS ACT.
From the National Alliance for Caregiving:
As family caregivers know all too well, paying for long-term care services and support can be prohibitively expensive and many of us are unprepared. As a result, many caregivers spend thousands of their own dollars and countless hours helping ensure that their loved ones have the care they need. The CLASS Act, which would establish a voluntary long-term care insurance program, would go a long way in helping families prepare for their needs and, ultimately, help to relieve many of the demands on family caregivers. Please call today in to show your support today!
| A CLASS Act Call-In |
| 855-218-2109 |
| We are asking organizations across the country to call 855-218-2109 and tell the White House and the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act must be implemented.To fix our current healthcare system, we must address how to pay for long-term services and supports. The CLASS Act is an important step because it:Promotes personal responsibility.Puts choice in the hands of consumers.Provides supports for family caregivers.Saves Medicaid money.Does NOT rely on taxpayer funds.To help our states, our families and people with disabilities, we must implement the CLASS Act.Please call 855-218-2109 and follow the prompts. The message is simple: Implement the CLASS Act. |
