IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 431 

Supporting the goals and ideals of a Long-Term Care Awareness Week. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2008 

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN (for herself, Mr. BOUSTANY, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. BURGESS, Mrs. DRAKE, Mr. HINCHEY, Mrs. CAPITO, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. 

HALL of Texas, Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania, and Ms. GINNY BROWNWAITE of Florida) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of a Long-Term Care 

Awareness Week. 

Whereas the Department of Health and Human Services has 

reported that approximately 60 percent of individuals 

who are over the age of 65 will need some kind of longterm care services, and at some point more than 40 percent of such individuals will require nursing home care; 

Whereas in 2005, the Government Accountability Office projected that the number of individuals in the age group of 

individuals who are 85 years or older, which it finds is 

the age group most likely to require long-term care services, is projected to increase more than 250 percent from 

4,300,000 individuals in 2000 to 15,400,000 individuals 

by 2040; 


wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
2 

•HCON 431 IH 

Whereas the Internet site of the National Clearinghouse for 

Long-Term Care Information notes that the Medicare 

program does not generally pay for most long-term care 

services that are needed, the Medicare program pays for 

skilled nursing facility services only after a recent hospital stay, Medicare beneficiaries generally pay up to 

$128 in daily coinsurance beginning on the 21st day of 

coverage, coverage ends after 100 days, and that the 

Medicare program does not cover a stay in an assisted 

living facility or adult day care; 

Whereas an AARP study in 2006 found that 59 percent of 

people in the United States who are 45 years of age or 

older overestimated the level of coverage under the Medicare program for nursing home care and more than half 

of such people who are 45 years of age or older indicate 

they believe such program provides coverage for assisted 

living, which it does not; 

Whereas the 2006 AARP study concludes that given the already high costs related to long-term care and the projected growth in the size of the older population in future 

years, it is essential for people in the United States to 

learn more about the costs of long-term care, about ways 

to prepare for and pay for long-term care, and about 

State and community resources that are available to assist in these challenges; 

Whereas the Government Accountability Office has reported 

that broad-based misperceptions regarding the Medicare 

program’s level of long-term care coverage significantly 

contributes to the lack of personal preparation of people 

in the United States for the financing of long-term care 

and advises that the government can play a significant 

part in enhancing personal preparedness by educating 


wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
3 

•HCON 431 IH 

people in the United States about the scope of coverage 

of long-term care under public programs such as the 

Medicare program; 

Whereas people in the United States have a right to know 

what long-term care coverage is available to them so that 

they are able to make informed retirement choices; 

Whereas the first phase of the Department of Health and 

Human Service’s pilot program to raise awareness regarding planning for long-term care obtained a less than 

8-percent response rate by consumers requesting information in selected States; 

Whereas in 2002 the Government Accountability Office reported that less than 10 percent of the elderly population 

in the United States and a lower percentage of those 

aged 55 to 64 years of age in the United States have 

purchased long-term care insurance; 

Whereas the Department of Commerce has reported that savings as a percentage of after-tax income declined from 

approximately 8 percent in 1992 to close to zero since 

2005; 

Whereas in 2005 the Government Accountability Office reported that spending on long-term care services solely for 

the elderly is projected to grow at least 2.5 times and 

could grow to $379,000,000,000 in 2050; 

Whereas the Government Accountability Office has reported 

that many people in the United States have neared impoverishment by depleting their assets to pay the significant costs of their long-term care; 

Whereas it has been estimated that more than 44,000,000 

persons age 18 or older provide unpaid care to another 

adult in any given year; 


wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
4 

•HCON 431 IH 

Whereas an estimated 34,000,000 persons age 18 or older 

provide unpaid care to another adult in any given month, 

averaging 21 hours per week, with an estimated value of 

$350,000,000,000 in 2006; 

Whereas advance planning by family members, and support 

for caregivers, will help to protect caregivers’ health, financial security, and quality of life; 

Whereas our Nation’s long-term care challenges will significantly impact women, who make up more than 58 percent of people in the United States who are 65 years of 

age and older, and greater than two-thirds of people in 

the United States who are 85 years of age and older; 

Whereas encouraging people in the United States to anticipate and plan for their future long-term care needs will 

help them achieve greater health and financial security, 

as well as greater independence, choice, and control over 

the services they need in the setting of their choice; and 

Whereas a long-term care awareness week has been observed 

during a week in November, and it would be appropriate 

to observe the week during the third week in November, 

which in 2008 will be the week of November 16, 2008, 

through November 22, 2008: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) supports the goals and ideals of a Long4 Term Care Awareness Week; 

5 (2) encourages the Secretary of Health and 

6 Human Services to continue working to educate peo7 ple in the United States about long-term care; and 


wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
5 

•HCON 431 IH 

1 (3) urges the people of the United States to 

2 recognize such a week as an opportunity to learn 

3 more about the potential risks and costs associated 

4 with long-term care and the options available to help 

5 meet their long-term care needs. 

Æ 


wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS