Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act

Bill: 111-hr-1721
Sponsor: Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6]
Introduced: 2009-03-25 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Disability assistance
Employee benefits and pensions
Government trust funds
Health care costs and insurance
Home and outpatient care
Income tax credits
Income tax deductions
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care

Summary:
action_date: 2009-03-25
text: 
Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act or the CLASS Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to create a national, voluntary disability insurance program (CLASS program) under which: (1) all employees are automatically enrolled, but are allowed to waive enrollment; (2) payroll deductions pay monthly premiums; and (3) two-tiered benefits are provided, based on the level of disability, to purchase nonmedical services and supports that the beneficiary needs to maintain independence.
 
Establishes the Independence Fund within the Treasury. 
 
Requires the CLASS program to be treated for tax purposes in the same manner as a qualified long-term care insurance contract.
 
Amends the Social Security Act to require each state to: (1) assess the extent to which personal care services providers are serving or able to serve as fiscal agents, employers, and providers of employment-related benefits for personal care attendant workers, who provide personal care services to individuals receiving benefits under this Act; (2) designate or create entities to serve such purposes; and (3) ensure that such entities will not negatively alter or impede existing programs, models, methods, or administration of service delivery that provide for consumer controlled or self-directed home and community services, impede the ability of individuals to direct and control their home and community services, or inhibit individuals from relying on family members for such services.
 
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a Personal Care Attendants Workforce Advisory Panel to examine and advise the Secretary and Congress on workforce issues related to personal care attendant workers.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) a deduction for premiums paid for the CLASS program; (2) a credit CLASS program enrollees with low income; and (3) a credit for employers for the cost incurred to automatically enroll employees and withhold monthly premiums.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-03-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2009-03-25
text: Referred to House Budget
action_date: 2009-03-25
text: Referred to House Rules
action_date: 2009-03-25
text: Referred to House Ways and Means
action_date: 2009-03-25
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Rules, and the Budget, 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.
action_date: 2009-03-25
text: Referred to House Energy and Commerce
action_date: 2009-03-25
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-03-25
text: Introduced in House