[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 45 (Thursday, March 28, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H2970-H2971]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SUPPORT NEEDED AMENDMENT TO HEALTH CARE REFORM TO PROVIDE FOR LONG-TERM 
                                  CARE

  (Mr. ENSIGN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. Speaker, the Senate bill was, frankly, inadequate. I 
offered an amendment in the Committee on Ways and Means, which was 
accepted, which will address long-term health care for Americans. Most 
elderly Americans are unaware of the magnitude of long-term care costs 
and of the limits of Government assistance. Many Americans wrongly 
assumed that Government programs or their general insurance will cover 
the costs of any long-term care services they might need. The reality 
is that the cost of

[[Page H2971]]

long-term care can quickly wipe out the assets of even those who have 
worked and saved for a lifetime.
  For example, the average cost of nursing home care is now over 
$38,000 a year. If you happen to need such care, your options are 
limited under the current system. Only about 2 percent of long-term 
care costs are handled by private insurance. Normally, everyone else 
pays out of pocket or is forced to Medicaid, to the degree that nearly 
40 percent of Medicaid costs are swallowed by long-term care 
components.
  This bill now includes the language that allows tax deductions for 
long-term care services, as is allowable for medical services. I urge 
the support of this amendment and the support of this bill.

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