Hello,

Messages | My Profile | Logout | Renew

• Health
• Money
• Leisure
• Make a Difference
• Family
• Online Community
• Membership

This is an urgent request that needs your action TODAY!  

 

As you probably know, the Senate is currently working on merging the health care reform bill passed by the Senate Finance Committee with the bill passed earlier this summer by the Senate Health (HELP) Committee.  A top priority for AARP right now is to ensure that the final merged bill has home and community-based services provisions that are present in each separate bill. 

 

The HELP Committee bill has a provision called CLASS (Community Living Assistance Services and Supports) that would help people pay for long term care insurance.  The Finance Committee bill has additional funds for home and community-based services.  We want both of these pieces in the final merged Senate health care reform bill. 

 

Please call Senator Feingold by 5:00 pm TODAY to urge him to support the inclusion of both the CLASS Act and Home and Community Based services provisions in the merged Senate bill.  Please call using a special toll-free number set up by AARP: 1-800-944-6723.

 

It is important to call as soon as possible because the Senate Democrats are meeting at 6:00 pm today to discuss this issue. 

 

 HCBS/CLASS TALKING POINTS

Senate

 

ü      As the Finance and HELP Committee bills are merged in the Senate, we urge you to retain key long-term services and supports provisions from both bills in the final Senate bill.

 

ü      Americans need greater access to home and community-based services (HCBS) and more financing options to help them pay for these critical services. 

 

ü      HCBS can help slow the growth in health care spending and keep millions of Americans out of nursing homes and in their own homes. 

 

ü      HCBS are cost-effective: On average, Medicaid can provide HCBS to three people for the cost of serving one person in a nursing home.  And the vast majority (89%) of Americans age 50+ want to live in their homes and communities as long as they can.

 

ü      That’s why we strongly urge you to support and retain Finance Committee provisions to expand access to Medicaid HCBS to help individuals live in their homes, including by providing financial incentives to states. 

 

ü      We also strongly urge you to support and retain HELP Committee provisions on the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) plan to establish a national voluntary insurance program for long-term services and supports to help individuals plan ahead so they can afford to pay for services when they need support to help them live independently in their homes and communities. 

 

ü      AARP strongly supports these important HELP and Finance provisions and asks for Senator Feingold’s support to keep them in the final Senate health care reform bill.