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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 431 Introduced in House (IH)]

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 Brown-Waite 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 long-term 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;
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 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;
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
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of a Long-Term Care 
        Awareness Week;
            (2) encourages the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
        to continue working to educate people in the United States 
        about long-term care; and
            (3) urges the people of the United States to recognize such 
        a week as an opportunity to learn more about the potential 
        risks and costs associated with long-term care and the options 
        available to help meet their long-term care needs.
                                 <all>
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