HELP Committee Releases Health Reform Bill That Includes Long Term Services

Senate HELP Committee Chairman Kennedy (D-MA) released the Affordable Health Choices Act Tuesday which includes the following five major elements: choice, cost reduction, prevention, health system modernization, and long term services and supports. The committee will begin consideration of the 615-page bill, Tuesday, June 16th. The Chairman’s inclusion of his CLASS Act (S. 697), supported by ANCOR, would create a new national insurance program to help adults who have or develop functional impairments to remain independent, employed, and stay a part of their community, is incorporated. This new program, self-funded and actuarially sound, would provide significant savings to the Medicaid program, relieving state and federal budgets as the primary funder of long-term services. It would offer a new funding resource for providers of home and community-based services. Senator Dodd (D-CT), second in Democratic seniority on the committee, is managing the day-to-day work of the HELP Committee during Chairman Kennedy’s absence.