[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E274-E275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 LONG-TERM SOLUTION FOR LONG-TERM CARE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ADAM H. PUTNAM

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 13, 2009

  Mr. PUTNAM. Madam Speaker, with an ever aging population, most 
families at one point or another are forced to make a decision 
regarding the future of a loved one who needs assistance with everyday 
living. These decisions are made upon few available options and are 
very costly- many find themselves struggling between the high price of 
nursing homes or informal family care. The financial and emotional 
burden on families is vast and action such as the ``Long-term Care 
Retirement and Security Act of 2009'' must be taken.
  Long-term care is a variety of services that includes medical and 
non-medical care to people who have a chronic disability or illness. 
This form of care may be provided at home, in the community, in 
assisted living or in nursing homes. While long-term care is often used 
for the elderly, it is important to remember that it could be needed at 
any age.
  It is important to note that families who choose to care for their 
loved ones are left responsible for otherwise costly services because 
Medicare does not pay for long-term care. Adult children or 
grandchildren are cited as the main care givers to the elderly 
population. According to research conducted by the American Association 
of Retired People (AARP), two-thirds of older people with disabilities 
relied solely on ``informal'' help; approximately 75% of which was 
unpaid care from friends and family. The AARP Public Policy Institute 
reported that the annual economic value of unpaid long-term care in the 
United States is approximately $354 billion, based upon an estimation 
that 34 million adults provided some type of long-term care in 2006.
  It is time to address the growing needs of our aging population and 
motivate younger generations to take the necessary steps toward 
insuring their long-term care needs. For this reason, I have 
reintroduced the Long-term Care and Retirement Security Act, H.R. 897.
  This legislation would encourage individuals to plan for their own 
long-term care needs by amending the Internal Revenue Code to allow a 
tax deduction for eligible long-term care insurance premiums for a 
taxpayer and the taxpayer's spouse and dependents. This legislation 
would also establish an applicable tax credit for eligible caregivers 
caring for individuals with long-term care needs, multiplied by the 
number of individuals receiving care. The Long-term Care and Retirement 
Security Act would also permit long-term care insurance to be included 
in employee benefit cafeteria plans and flexible spending arrangements, 
resulting in more active employees participating in long-term care 
policies. Finally, this long overdue measure would establish consumer 
protections based on the National Association of Insurance 
Commissioners' recommendations for qualified long-term care policies.
  It is my hope that this legislation will encourage more Americans to 
take personal responsibility for their long-term care needs through 
these incentives and help families afford long-term care insurance.

[[Page E275]]



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