IV
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 210
Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to promoting coverage of
individuals under long-term care insurance.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 5, 1998
Mr. SHAYS (for himself, Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut, Mr. GREENWOOD, Mr.
LIPINSKI, Mrs. KENNELLY of Connecticut, Mr. REGULA, Mr. LAFALCE,
Mr. FARR of California, Mr. FROST, and Mr. GOODE) submitted the fol-
lowing concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and
Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to promoting
coverage of individuals under long-term care insurance.
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring),
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following:
(1) As the baby boom generation begins to re-
tire, funding Social Security and Medicare will put
a strain on the financial resources of younger Ameri-
cans.
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(2) Medicaid was designed as a program for the
poor, but in many States Medicaid is being used for
middle income elderly people to fund long-term care
expenses.
(3) In the coming decade, people over age 65
will represent up to 20 percent or more of the popu-
lation, and the proportion of the population com-
posed of individuals who are over age 85, who are
most likely to be in need of long-term care, may dou-
ble or triple.
(4) With nursing home care now costing
$40,000 to $50,000 on average per year, long-term
care expenses can have a catastrophic effect on fami-
lies, wiping out a lifetime of savings before a spouse,
parent, or grandparent becomes eligible for Medic-
aid.
(5) Many people are unaware that most long-
term care costs are not covered by Medicare and
that Medicaid covers long-term care only after the
person’s assets have been exhausted.
(6) Widespread use of private long-term care
insurance has the potential to protect families from
the catastrophic costs of long-term care services
while, at the same time, easing the burden on Medic-
aid as the baby boom generation ages.
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(7) The Federal Government has endorsed the
concept of private long-term care insurance by estab-
lishing Federal tax rules for tax-qualified policies in
the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act of 1996.
(8) The Federal Government has ensured the
availability of quality long-term care insurance prod-
ucts and sales practices by adopting strict consumer
protections in the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act of 1996.
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the
Congress that—
(1) the Federal Government should take all ap-
propriate steps to inform the public about the finan-
cial risks posed by rapidly increasing long-term care
costs and about the need for families to plan for
their long-term care needs;
(2) the Federal Government should take all ap-
propriate steps to inform the public that Medicare
does not cover most long-term care costs and that
Medicaid covers long-term care costs only when the
beneficiary has exhausted his or her assets;
(3) the Federal Government should take all ap-
propriate steps not only to encourage employers to
offer private long-term care insurance coverage to
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employees, but also to encourage both working-aged
people and older citizens to obtain long-term care in-
surance either through their employees or on their
own;
(4) appropriate committees of Congress, to-
gether with the Department of Health and Human
Services and other appropriate Executive Branch
agencies, should develop specific ideas for encourag-
ing Americans to plan for their own long-term care
needs;
(5) the congressional tax-writing committees,
together with the Department of the Treasury
should determine whether the tax rules for long-term
care insurance need to be modified to ensure that
the rules adequately facilitate the affordability of
long-term care insurance; and
(6) the upcoming National Summit on Retire-
ment Income Savings should ensure that planning
for long-term care is an integral part of any discus-
sion of retirement security.
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