AARP Online Community: AARPNM - AARP Presses Lawmakers to Support Long Term Care

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AARP Presses Lawmakers to Support Long Term Care

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 7, 2009

Contact

Jim Dau or Jordan McNerney

202-434-2560

AARP Presses Lawmakers to Support Long Term Care

Class Act provisions would make long-term care more accessible for Americans

WASHINGTON—AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond released the following statement on the Association’s support of the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act provisions included in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee’s health reform bill:

“Each year, more American families struggle with the staggering cost of long-term care. The long-term care provisions in the HELP bill taken from Chairman Kennedy’s CLASS Act make up an important part of reforming our broken health care system and putting more people on track to get the health and long-term care they need throughout their lives. At the same time, these important provisions could take some of the burden off of struggling Medicaid programs.

“Combined with private insurance, personal savings, other public programs and care from friends and loved ones, the CLASS Act provisions will help offer peace of mind to American families and help them pay for the services and supports they need to live independently.

“We look forward to working with Chairman Kennedy and his colleagues to include the HELP committee CLASS Act provisions in any final comprehensive health care reform legislation this year.”

Today, AARP sent a letter to members of the Senate HELP Committee urging them to support the CLASS Act provisions as a part of comprehensive health care reform. For a copy of the letter, please contact AARP Media Relations at the number above.

For details on AARP’s health reform priorities, visit http://www.healthactionnow.org.

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