Kamala Harris Will Propose Adding Home Care Benefit To Medicare

[PunkinPi]

Source: HuffPo

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris on Tuesday will propose a major new initiative: expanding Medicare to cover the cost of long-term care at home.

Such a plan could mean the option of staying at home, rather than in a nursing facility, for the millions of seniors and people with disabilities who need help with the daily tasks of life.

It could also mean physical and financial relief ― and new opportunities for school or work outside the home ― for the millions of working-age Americans who today provide so much of that care on their own without much in the way of outside assistance.

If the proposed legislation is enacted, such a program would represent a substantial boost in federal support for caregiving and, by any measure, one of the largest one-time increases in American history.

Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kamala-harris-medicare-home-care_n_6704a28ce4b0b12bd23f785f

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She will be making the announcement today on The View. This would be huge for a lot of folks!

[Walleye]

1. Caregiving, it's a good thing to campaign on. Trump doesn't know the meaning of the word.

[PunkinPi]

2. It's one of the toughest unpaid jobs there is, and I say this as a caregiver for my mom and aunt simultaneously. nt

[Walleye]

4. As they say, you are doing the Lord's work.

I know it must be very exhausting and emotionally draining. We definitely need to help people who are taking care of the sick and elderly.

[PunkinPi]

5. Thank you, truly a labor of love. nt

[littlemissmartypants]

14. ❤️

[PunkinPi]

15. Aww, thanks littlemisssmartypants!

[littlemissmartypants]

17. You're welcome, PunkinPi. ❤️

[moonscape]

37. Yes. I cared for my mom who

had Alzheimer’s. She lived with me and I did it on my own. Thankfully she was an amazing woman and our bond was strong, but tough even so with little relief. Friends would take her for a few hours here and there, for which I was grateful.

[PunkinPi]

40. Your mom was fortunate to have you! nt

[Deminpenn]

3. Nursing homes are closing left and right here

in PA. The state recently passed legislation mandating more staff in skilled nursing facilities which has those facilities howling about cost. Private assisted living places only keep residents until the residents run out of money, then they are shucked off the nursing homes. That just means there are fewer places for those who can't be cared for at home to go.

You can actually deduct a lot of expenses when you do your federal taxes and there medicare will pay for hospice care, but Harris' proposal will certainly fullfill a need and an increasing desire for people to stay in their homes.

[mucifer]

6. unfortunately, hospice doesn't help keep people in their homes. It is extra support. But, usually it's a few

hours a week and maybe a home health aid for an hour 1-3 times a week for bathing. So lots of hospice care is in nursing homes.

[RainCaster]

36. Hospice care is end of life care

That's the specialized end-of-life care that often involves heavyweight pain killers. The people who do this work are truly special.

The idea of everyday care for seniors is great, and long overdue. She's been paying attention to the right people..

[littlemissmartypants]

16. Yep. LTC facilities are not the cash cow they used to be.

With wages going up workers have more options. They can just move on. Because no one wants to work for slave wages, in an understaffed facility. I certainly don't blame them.

It's an outstanding opportunity for so many if she pulls it off and I hope that she does.

❤️

[mysteryowl]

7. Wonderful!

Our grandmother was in a long term care facility and it cost $9000 a month!!!
Home care would have been so much better and less expensive.

[Shermann]

9. Wouldn't home care be less expensive than that? nt

[mysteryowl]

11. Yes!!! That is the point!

[MichMan]

22. Perhaps, depending on the level of care required

If someone just needs a care giver be present for a couple hours a day, sure it would.

$9000 per month equates to $300 per day. Look at what current at home care now costs per hour and it wouldn't take much to get there.

I can't imagine that people that need someone caring for them around the clock could all have someone living in their house with them 24/7.

[LisaM]

8. Some relief is needed (along with some new modeling).

My mother is 88. She lives at home by herself. She's mentally fine, but has mobility issues and has had several falls. She has what we call "helpers", and they have all been great, but the bulk of the responsibility falls on my sister who is the only family member who lives in state (an hour away) and has to constantly drive back and forth, handle bills, cable TV issues, phone, etc. I will be making my third cross country trip since May because we will all be taking a road trip and my sister can't (and shouldn't have to) do it alone, but it's difficult.

And our situation is not all that bad. I wish there was some sort of (decently paid) kind of model where there could be a network of caregivers who fell somewhere between family and medical - people who can fix meals, help liase with cable companies or drug stores, make sure the lawn is mowed, laundry is done, and so on.

What we need is a network of people who can do these tasks, who can make a living at it, who are good at it, and - importantly - enjoy the job and have enough backup that there is low stress.

[Trueblue Texan]

28. Home health agencies could provide more care if the funding was there. nt

[Joinfortmill]

10. Gets this old girl's vote.

[Native]

12. The policy and announcing it on The View are master strokes.

[Native]

13. she's proposing to pay for it by expanding the federal govt's power to negotiate drug prices directly with manufacturers

[Vinca]

18. That makes sense. Most of the nursing homes are run by corporations and the primary goal is profit not care.

[Beck23]

34. Yes

As an aging person, I believe private industry considers older people are a profit center.

[cstanleytech]

19. The problem with people living on Social Security at or below the poverty level needs to addressed as well.

[moonscape]

39. Hear hear! - says this oldish

lady living on SS with savings I will easily outlive. Then what? I’m not the only terrified Senior without kids. I cared for my mom with alzheimer’s and manage the affairs of a childhood friend who got dementia from brain surgery. She lives on SS and has no $$ to pay for help so I do everything. Unfortunately, when my time comes to need help, I won’t have a me. And that day is not far off as I’m losing my vision to macular degeneration, have cancer, and struggle with arthritis.

I live in an area on the Central CA coast which is expensive with an aging population. Such an important issue.

Opening the door for Medicare assistance addresses the greatest fear that keeps me up at night, right after a repeat of 2016.

[valleyrogue]

46. Not only that, but there are an increasing number of single older people with no kids who really

need the help rather than wealthy families who can afford to have one adult stay and care for aging parents/relatives. Once again, I see too much pandering to upper income households at the expense of the rest of us.

This isn't the 1950s anymore. The demographics have radically changed. Never-married women over 65 are the most likely to live in poverty, yet politicians, even Harris, pretend as if they do not exist.

It is a crisis, just as renting is a crisis, yet we have Democrats talking about giving even MORE benefits for people who can afford to buy houses rather than help those who really need assistance, like renters.

[PuppyBismark]

20. Wonderful idea

I’ve had three friends who had parents who needed it. It is very expensive but needed. One friend’s wife had brain cancer and needed constant nursing care the last three weeks of her life. It cost him a fortune.

Please do it for those who need it!

[spooky3]

21. This is desperately needed. Nt

[MichMan]

23. Where are we going to find all the extra caregivers when there is already a shortage?

[Trueblue Texan]

26. Family members are already providing much of the care...

...but they have to quit jobs to do it, cutting household income and increasing the burden on the individual. This was an emergency situation DECADES ago! It's about time we did something to provide relief to these families who must step into a caregiving role.

[MichMan]

30. The devil will be in the details

If you compensate family members $20 per hour and they are there 24 hrs a day living in the household, that would equate to $480 per day (not even considering overtime pay)

$175,000 per year in wages for one care giver

[Trueblue Texan]

32. Yes, the details...always, but I doubt there will be an hourly wage....

More likely it will be either like the child tax credit or a monthly stipend of some sort. But anything is better than nothing, which is what family caregivers now get.

[Voltaire2]

43. Those details can be very tricky. I guess we should just continue to force people into bankruptcy.

[Voltaire2]

38. Well we could encourage immigration. Nt.

[markie]

24. this would be

a great benefit for many.... I retired early to be a caregiver and this plan would have made a substantial difference in my life

[Trueblue Texan]

25. This will change the lives of MILLIONS of Americans!

This is so needed! It's probably not something you hear about often, but it is a silent, relentless burden on America's families. It exhausts family caregivers financially, physically, and emotionally. So many who end up being caregivers for their loved ones must end their careers to take care of their loved ones, losing much needed income and social support. I've seen situations become desperate for families with NO hope for relief. Caregivers develop depression and related illness, making their task even harder. I pray this goes somewhere.

[onetexan]

27. Talk about a candidate in tune with the people

And working for the middle class! This one knocks it out of the ballpark!
Bravo President Harris!!! 🌊🇺🇸
👍👏🌊🇺🇸

[travelingthrulife]

29. Finally! Now how about vision care, hearing care and dental care.

[dflprincess]

35. You took the post right off my keyboard!

[recovering_democrat]

31. Strongly support based on experience!

during original "covid" situation my husband was in nursing home with serious alzheimers problem. We visited him almost daily before the covid problem eliminated visitors of any type because he didn't know who we were by that time. Over time, became clear, the nursing home was abusing the types of services and costs, and generally would not approve his rights to stop being given life-continuing actions which was his wish and content in his living will. The nursing home was making a fortune by this situation. I went to live there, we got him placed in home health care with me or my son staying with him 24-7 and periodic nursing visits and other fabulous help. This is an honorable way to help your loved ones without outrageous behaviors when you cant get the accurate help you need. Take it from a personal experience: be sure you and your family know in writing what you want, and make sure it is carried out. For those without financial means to take this for personal circumstances, THIS is the absolute wonderful choice. And keep in in mind: regardless of your personal opinion: it IS YOUR CHOICE>

[Beck23]

33. Yeah!

I had to pay $6000 out of pocket for home care last year. If Medicare covers this, then they should put regulations on the home care industry.

[Greybnk48]

41. This would be a life changing event for many of us

at the age where we face either a nursing home, or no consistent care at all.

I will not go to assisted living or a nursing home, and my husband doesn't want to either. Granted, we will have to if we have a debilitating event that cannot be handled at home. But, that said, good one's are not readily available really anywhere. There are some, but most are grossly understaffed. We went through a horrid experience 2 years ago, and I would not trust but one in our area. I think I would rather croak either alone or with a family member, than be neglected and ignored by a stranger who is overwhelmed by the workload. This would radically change things!

[Harriet Harlow]

42. Kamala Will Propose

That's wonderful news! Seniors would benefit so much from this!

[returnee]

44. Could she please propose...

…dental too?

[4catsmom]

45. should have always been there

but the crafters of Medicare were mostly men and what did they know about home care?

[Hekate]

49. Only partly so. The other part is Dems got everything they could possibly get past the GOP...

And the GOP has been trying to starve it and kill it ever since.

Thank God for Dems who keep working to keep it alive, thru bad times and good.

[calimary]

47. That certainly addresses a crucial need!

Just one more good reason why she’s GOTTA win!

[Hekate]

48. That would be an incredible blessing