If the demise of CLASS has any greater meaning, perhaps it will serve as a wake-up call for Americans that we need an enduring solution to the long-term care problem. The CLASS legislation, part of the Affordable Care Act, would have created a voluntary, long-term care insurance program that could eventually provide a modest benefit to its enrollees—up to $75 per day to help pay for assistance in carrying out daily activities, a health aide, medical supplies, or to help defray the yearly costs of living in a nursing home.
Tag Archives: long-term care
A CLASS Act Failure
Sen. Orin Hatch (R-UT) called it a “Ponzi scheme,” President Barack Obama held it up as a testament to the work of Ted Kennedy who wanted to ensure that the elderly and disabled would be able to afford help with simple activities of daily living; Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) simply called the program “insolvent.”