LSA Public Policy Priorities
Aging Services
LSA supports aging services that provide comprehensive, person-centered coverage and payment to meet the wide-ranging service and support needs of people. Mutual responsibility of all people, employers, providers and government will be required to achieve success.
LSA Aging Services Priorities for the 111th Congress
- Continued focus on legislation regarding long-term supports and services
- Passage of the Community Living Assistance Supports and Services (CLASS) Act
- Upcoming reauthorization of the Older Americans Act
Long Term Supports and Services
Congress has held hearings on this issue, including a focus on the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging's (AAHSA) long term care financing plan. AAHSA’s Finance Cabinet has developed a structure for a new form of long-term care financing based on a broad-based public insurance system. The benefit would be based on a simple level-of-functional need determination and would be paid to individual participants. The system would be administered by a federally-chartered entity that would invest and manage the insurance funds. Individuals would not have to impoverish themselves to qualify for the benefits. Click here for more information on the AAHSA plan, Financing Long-Term Care: A Framework for America.
Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act
LSA supports The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act, and has been a strong advocate for its inclusion in health care reform legislation. This program would create a national insurance program to pay for supportive services in the community for adults with functional disabilities without Medicaid’s income eligibility limits. The new program would be paid for by a voluntary payroll deduction of about $70 per month, with an option to opt out. This legislation will help remove barriers to independence by providing a $50-$100 a day cash benefit to individuals when the participant needed help with two or more activities of daily living. The new program would allow the cash benefit to be used to purchase services or equipment not now covered by Medicaid, or to offset the cost of Medicaid if the participant is Medicaid-eligible and in a nursing home. More information on the CLASS Act can be found at www.passtheclassact.com.
Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act
The Older Americans Act (OAA) is due to be reauthorized in 2011, and the Department of Health and Human Services has initiated conversations across the country to gather input on the programs and services funded through the OAA. These include Aging and Disability Resource Centers, elder justice programs, senior nutrition programs, mental health services, and transportation, among others. LSA will be active throughout 2010 and into 2011 in advocating for sufficient funding for and, where appropriate, expansion of services through the OAA.
Additional Resources
For more information contact Lisa Hassenstab via email or at 202-626-7932.
