The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act

Dear Howard,
Many provisions in the recently enacted health reform law will take effect in the first year. The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act, or the CLASS Act, will go into effect January 2011, and will improve the lives of millions of Americans in need of long-term health care. Families USA has recently updated two of our reports, which highlight several of the benefits the long-term care community will receive through the CLASS ACT:
Helping People with Long-Term Health Care Needs: An Insurance Program to Help People Afford Long-Term Services and Supports
Helping People with Long-Term Health Care Needs: Improving Access to Home- and Community-Based Services in Medicaid
Many of us will need some form of long-term care in our lives, whether it’s when we get older, or if we have a disability, injury, or illness that requires assistance with daily activities. Unfortunately, our current system does not offer adequate options for long-term services. Helping People with Long-Term Health Care Needs: An Insurance Program to Help People Afford Long-Term Services and Supports discusses how the CLASS Act includes a voluntary insurance program that will help people afford the long-term services they need so they can remain living in the community longer.
Many people who currently require long-term care receive benefits through Medicaid. However, Medicaid is structured to favor institutional care over home- and community-based care. Helping People with Long-Term Health Care Needs: Improving Access to Home- and Community-Based Services in Medicaid discusses how the CLASS Act will allow states to create new options for Medicaid beneficiaries to obtain home-and community-based services and how it will create incentives for states to restructure their Medicaid programs to offer home-and community-based services.
Thank you for your tireless work to improve the health and quality of life of seniors and people with disabilities.
Best wishes,
Jessica Larochelle
Field Director
Families USA




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