[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 99 (Wednesday, July 26, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S7650]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   OMNIBUS LONG-TERM CARE ACT OF 2000

  Mr. BAYH. Mr. President, I rise today as an original cosponsor of the 
``Omnibus Long-Term Care Act of 2000.'' This bill brings together very 
important initiatives for making long-term care more affordable for 
Americans. In particular, this bill contains a $3,000 tax credit for 
caregivers and a tax deduction for the purchase of long-term care 
insurance.
  There are over 22 million people providing unpaid help with personal 
needs or household chores to a relative or friend who is at least 50 
years old. In Indiana alone, there are 568,300 caregivers. The 
government spent approximately $32 billion in formal home health care 
costs and $83 billion in nursing home costs. If you add up all the 
private sector and government spending on long-term care it is dwarfed 
by the amount families spend caring for loved ones in their homes. As a 
study published by the Alzheimers Association indicated, caregivers 
provide $196 billion worth of care a year.
  As a member of the Special Committee on Aging, I held a field hearing 
in Indiana on making long-term care more affordable. At this hearing, I 
learned first hand the importance of this tax credit. Jerry and Sue 
Cahee take care of Jerry's mother who has Alzheimers. At the hearing 
Jerry Cahee shared the following: ``Mother is a wonderful and friendly 
person to everyone--except her caregivers. We have discovered that 
life, aging, and illness are not fair. We have discovered that love is 
hard--that love is not enough to make the difference. We know that 
memories are all that we have left of the happy times in Mother's life. 
To care for her, make her last days comfortable, to meet her ever 
increasing medical needs, to offer her the security of a loving safe 
home, and to let her know that she is loved--these things have become 
our purpose for living. The financial drain has been difficult, the 
emotional strains are enormous.''
  Paul Severance, the Director of United Senior Action, a senior 
advocacy group in Indiana represented his constituency at the hearing 
when he stated ``The burden on families who are trying to provide long-
term care at home is tremendous; they typically face substantial 
expenses for special care, such as nursing visits, they often have lost 
wages because of the demands of caring for a loved one; and there can 
be a great cost to their own health as a result of the constant demands 
of caregiving.''
  In addition to the tax credit, a deduction for the purchase of long-
term care insurance makes it more affordable for Americans to purchase 
long-term care policies that can provide them with the coverage they 
will need. Congress needs to continue to explore ways in which to 
ensure long-term care options are available for all Americans.
  I am encouraged by the introduction of this bill and the bipartisan 
support it has received. It is my hope that we can work together to 
implement this legislation and make it more affordable for seniors to 
receive long-term care. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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