I

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1716

To provide for a study of long-term care needs in the 21st century.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 6, 1999

Mr. BILIRAKIS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Commerce

A BILL

To provide for a study of long-term care needs in the 21st

century.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. STUDY OF LONG-TERM CARE NEEDS IN THE

4 21ST CENTURY.

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and

6 Human Services shall provide, in accordance with this sec7 tion, for a study in order to determine—

8 (1) future demand for long-term health care

9 services (including institutional and home and com10 munity-based services) in the United States in order

11 to meet the needs in the 21st century; and
2

•HR 1716 IH

1 (2) long-term options to finance the provision of

2 such services.

3 (b) DETAILS.—The study shall include the following:

4 (1) An identification of the relevant demo5 graphic characteristics affecting demand for long6 term health care services, at least through the year

7 2030.

8 (2) The possibility of coverage of community9 based and other long-term health care services under

10 different federal programs, including through the

11 medicare and medicaid programs, grants to States,

12 housing services, and changes in tax policy.

13 (3) How to improve the quality of long-term

14 health care services.

15 (4) The integration of long-term health care

16 services for individuals between different classes of

17 health care providers (such as hospitals, nursing fa18 cilities, and home care agencies) and different Fed19 eral programs (such as the medicare and medicaid

20 programs).

21 (5) The possibility of expanding private sector

22 initiatives, including long-term care insurance, to

23 meet the need to finance such services.

24 (6) An examination of the effect of enactment

25 of the Health Insurance Portability and Account-
3

•HR 1716 IH

1 ability Act of 1996 on the provision and financing

2 of long-term health care services, including on port3 ability and affordability of private long-term care in4 surance, the impact of insurance options on low-in5 come older Americans, and the options for eligibility

6 to improve access to such insurance.

7 (7) The financial impact of the provision of

8 long-term health care services on caregivers and

9 other family members.

10 (c) REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS.—

11 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after

12 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary

13 shall provide for a report on the study under this

14 section.

15 (2) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The report shall in16 clude recommendations regarding each of the fol17 lowing:

18 (A) The most effective and efficient man19 ner that the Federal government may use its

20 resources to educate the public on planning for

21 needs for long-term health care services.

22 (B) The public, private, and joint public23 private strategies for meeting identified needs

24 for long-term health care services.
4

•HR 1716 IH

1 (C) The appropriate continuing role of

2 States in the financing of long-term health care

3 services.

4 (3) INCLUSION OF COST ESTIMATES.—The re5 port shall include cost estimates of the various op6 tions for which recommendations are made.

7 (d) CONDUCT OF STUDY.—

8 (1) USE OF INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE.—The

9 Secretary of Health and Human Services shall seek

10 to enter into an appropriate arrangement with the

11 Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of

12 Sciences to conduct the study under this section. If

13 such an arrangement cannot be made, the Secretary

14 may provide for the conduct of the study by any

15 other qualified non-governmental entity.

16 (2) CONSULTATION.—The study should be con17 ducted in consultation with experts from a wide18 range of groups from the public and private sectors.

Æ