[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 155 (Monday, October 15, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H11519-H11521]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF A LONG-TERM CARE AWARENESS WEEK

  Ms. BALDWIN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 133) supporting the goals and 
ideals of a Long-Term Care Awareness Week.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 133

       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 by 2040 the number of individuals in the age 
     group of individuals who are 85 years of age 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;
       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 and that the Medicare program pays for skilled 
     nursing facility services only after a recent hospital stay, 
     that Medicare beneficiaries generally pay more than $118 in 
     daily coinsurance beginning on the 21st day of coverage and 
     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 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 indicates that savings 
     as a percentage of after tax income declined from 
     approximately eight percent in 1990 to less than 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 two-and-a-half 
     times and could grow almost four-fold to $379 billion 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 AARP reports that an estimated 44,400,000 
     individuals who are 18 years of age or older provide unpaid 
     care to another adult and others have estimated the value of 
     such unpaid services to be approximately $257 billion 
     annually;
       Whereas advance planning by family members 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 the first full week in November, which in 2007 will be 
     the week of November 4th through 10th: 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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Wisconsin (Ms. Baldwin) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Wisconsin.


                             General Leave

  Ms. BALDWIN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
exclude extraneous material on the concurrent resolution under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Wisconsin?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. BALDWIN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 133, supporting the 
goals and ideals of a Long-Term Care Awareness Week. Long-term care is 
an often overlooked part of the continuum of care for many Americans, 
and many of us find ourselves ill informed and ill prepared to make 
choices for our own long-term care needs and those of our loved ones.
  According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, long-
term care represents a variety of services that include medical and 
nonmedical care for people who have a chronic illness or disability. 
Most long-term care is to assist people with the activities of daily 
living, such as dressing, bathing, and using the bathroom. It is 
important to remember that you may need long-term care at any age. The 
need for support and health services for persons who have diminished 
capacity for self-care is projected to strain both public and private 
resources.
  Madam Speaker, H. Con. Res. 133 calls for public education about the 
need for long-term care so that people of all ages throughout our 
Nation are better prepared to meet their own long-term care needs. 
Planning for long-term care requires us to think about possible future 
health care needs. Making the right decision about long-term care 
requires us to look at all of the options before us and to make 
informed decisions.

[[Page H11520]]

  I want to recognize and thank my colleague from South Dakota (Ms. 
Herseth Sandlin) for introducing this resolution and carrying it to the 
floor. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of it.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 133, 
supporting the goals and ideals of a Long-Term Care Awareness Week. As 
designated, the first week in November is designed as the opportunity 
to educate Americans on the likelihood of one needing long-term care. 
Additionally, greater education is needed as to what types of long-term 
care programs are available and what the various costs of services are. 
Families should take this opportunity to discuss the options to help 
plan and pay for their future.
  We know the baby boomer generation is now becoming eligible for 
Social Security, so it is sort of a wake-up call for what it will be, 
not just for having some financial independence, but what it would be 
and what it means to take care of dealing with their health care and 
the notion of rising health care costs. So the sooner one prepares, the 
better off they will be when they reach that age.
  Madam Speaker, health care costs are increasing, people are living 
longer, and I think we have a real responsibility here to educate 
constituents who need to become actively involved in ways in which they 
can provide for their own future of health care, as well as the care of 
their family member. I stand in support of this and ask my colleagues 
to support the resolution as well.
  Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BALDWIN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4\1/2\ minutes to 
the bill's author, the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth 
Sandlin).

                              {time}  1645

  Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 
133, a bipartisan resolution supporting the goals and ideals of Long-
Term Care Awareness Week during the week of November 4 through 10, 
2007. I would like to thank Chairman Dingell and committee staff for 
moving this resolution to the floor, and the gentlewoman from Wisconsin 
(Ms. Baldwin) for yielding to me once again.
  I would like to urge my colleagues to support this commonsense, 
bipartisan resolution which I introduced with the gentleman from 
Louisiana (Mr. Boustany), along with the gentleman from Maine (Mr. 
Allen) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Ferguson).
  I am proud that this resolution has earned the support of AARP, 
Families USA, the Alzheimer's Association, the National Council on 
Aging, the American Council of Life Insurers, the Association of Health 
Insurance Advisors, and America's Health Insurance Plans. They have 
come together in recognizing the immediacy of the need to raise 
awareness about planning for long-term care needs.
  This resolution is part of my commitment to addressing the many 
challenges associated with long-term care. Designating a week to focus 
on long-term care is one meaningful step we can take.
  Our Nation needs to address these issues sooner rather than later so 
that Americans are anticipating and fully prepared to meet their long-
term care needs.
  Studies show that many Americans don't have a clear perception of 
what long-term care costs and to what extent long-term care is covered 
by public programs.
  Experts have projected strong growth and demand for long-term care 
services as the baby-boom generation grows older and have emphasized 
the related challenge of paying for long-term care services.
  The Department of Health and Human Services has reported that 
approximately 60 percent of people over the age of 65 will need some 
kind of long-term care services.
  The Government Accountability Office has reported projections of 
significant growth in spending on long-term care services for seniors 
such that spending could approach $379 billion by 2050.
  Our Nation's long-term care challenges will have a particularly 
significant impact on women, who make up more than 58 percent of 
Americans over the age of 65 and greater than two-thirds of people 85 
years of age or older.
  Yet when it come to preparing to meet these costs, many Americans are 
not adequately prepared. For instance, a 2006 AARP survey on the cost 
of long-term care found that 60 percent of people age 45 and older said 
they believe Medicare will pay for extended nursing home stay, which it 
does not. And more than 50 percent of people age 45 or older said they 
believe Medicare covers assisted living, which it does not.
  And private-pay costs for this kind of care continue to go up. In 
South Dakota, the average cost of a year in a private room in a nursing 
home is $53,000, and a double-occupancy room averages well over 
$47,000. According to one recent national survey, a year in a private 
room in a nursing home averages more than $74,000, and a double-
occupancy room averages nearly $66,000 a year.
  An essential step in meeting the challenges posed by long-term care 
needs and costs is raising awareness about planning for long-term care.
  Education will help people understand the likelihood of needing long-
term care, the types and costs of available services, and the options 
to help plan and pay for those services. The more people know, the 
greater opportunity people have to plan for their future and the more 
likely they are to receive the services they need in the setting of 
their choice.
  That's the motivation for this Long-Term Care Awareness Week 
resolution. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan resolution. 
By passing it today, supporting the goals and ideals of Long-Term Care 
Awareness Week during the week of November 4 through 10, we can take 
another step forward to prepare our constituents and the Nation to meet 
the already high cost of long-term care and the growing challenges 
ahead.
  Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 2 minutes to 
the lead sponsor and a true champion of this effort in the House, the 
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Boustany).
  Mr. BOUSTANY. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my friend from New 
York for yielding me this time.
  I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 133 because many Americans lack 
protection from catastrophic long-term care expenses related to chronic 
illnesses and disability. And worse yet, most families assume that 
Medicare will actually pay for these long-term care services, while it 
generally does not; and oftentimes they find out in the midst of a 
family crisis when a loved one is ill, placing intensive emotional 
burdens as well as financial burdens on families.
  I want to thank my colleague, Congresswoman Herseth Sandlin, for 
working with me on this and really for being a champion on this issue. 
She and I have worked together, and we have had some success in 
persuading HHS and Social Security to clarify these widespread 
perceptions.
  I am hopeful that the passage of this resolution will encourage 
Secretary Leavitt, President Bush and the future administration to 
discuss this critical retirement security issue with the American 
people. A recent poll found that the majority of voters want to hear 
more about plans on how we will deal with this problem, and they desire 
more information on this. And that perception out there that exists 
that Medicare covers this is a real problem. The more we can get this 
information out to the American people, the greater the service we will 
be doing to help them deal and to cope with these problems.
  We clearly must do more to expand coverage for long-term care, to 
assist family caregivers, particularly those coping with the onset of 
chronic conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. So I urge my colleagues 
to support H. Con. Res. 133.
  Ms. BALDWIN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FOSSELLA. Madam Speaker, let me commend the gentlelady from South 
Dakota and the gentleman from Louisiana for bringing this to the floor.

[[Page H11521]]

I think what they said is totally accurate in the sense that as our 
population lives longer and lives more healthy lives, along with that 
comes an understanding and an obligation to begin preparing for those 
long-term health care needs as part of their retirement.
  As I mentioned before, baby boomers officially begin to receive, for 
those early retirees, Social Security in just a few months. That 
population, as we know, is large. I just think the more we can 
emphasize and educate the people of this country on what their options 
can and should be as they retire, the better off we will be when that 
day arrives.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. BALDWIN. Madam Speaker, I too want to add my words of 
congratulations to the bill's authors, the gentlewoman from South 
Dakota and the gentleman from Louisiana.
  I know from my own personal experience you are never fully prepared 
for having to make some of these choices on behalf of loved ones, and 
it can happen at any time. We are going to be very well-served by the 
passage of this bill to increase awareness among people of all age 
groups about the decisions and options they have. We have to understand 
that long-term care is part of the continuum of health care in this 
country. More education is needed. I recommend its passage.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Berkley). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Baldwin) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
133.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________