I am deeply concerned that the American public, particularly our nation’s elders, will be relying on our government to present long term care services they’ll under no circumstances see. They will only see the “smoke and mirrors” of Overall health Care Reform.
Our nation’s seniors are the most vulnerable segment of the U.S. population vulnerable both well being smart and financially. They’re silently discovering the savings they believed would be sufficient is not sufficient. They’re silently fearful of running out of cash with no one to care for them as they turn into extra frail. The silence is about to turn into deafening.
Regrettably, when Health Care Reform proudly announced New Extended Term Care Solutions, it discouraged many American’s from buying Long Term Care Insurance coverage.
The New York Times reported on ‘Options Expand for Very affordable Long-Term Care’ THE NEW OLD AGE. The Related Press announced ‘New Health Care Law Has Advantages for Seniors’. Point becoming, the casual reader was relieved to hear their government will “take care of them” when they want lengthy term care solutions. We now know that is not about to occur.
Thankfully our representatives in Washington found that Well being Care Reforms answer to the difficulty of Extended Term Care, “CLASS”, (Neighborhood Living Help Solutions and Supports Act) legislation would have been fiscally unsound. $70 billion in premiums that was anticipated to be raised for the new “long term care” program would have been counted as “deficit reduction”. The lengthy term care benefits it was intended to finance were assumed not to materialize in the initially 10 years. On the other hand, that funds was not accounted for anywhere in the legislation.
The new legislation proposed to “trim” $463 billion from Medicare. But Medicare is at the moment possessing problems balancing its books now. But, why does the health care bill inform us Medicare can operate far more cheaply going forward without the accompanying reforms?
Our national media gave massive fanfare to the CLASS ACT when it passed. Unfortunately the media has offered the CLASS ACT’s demise tiny attention. Now what?
Projections show that the federal deficit is anticipated to exceed $700 billion annually over the subsequent decade. This essentially will double the national and $900 billion represents interest on prior debt. Would the CFO of any important corporation in the United States enable the enterprise he worked for to end up in this kind of economic position? Certainly not.
Our officials in Congress have been elected to protect the ideal interests of the American men and women. “Robbing Peter to pay Paul”, and as soon as once again printing much more currency, has turn out to be our government’s mantra for the future. However the magnitude of the mismanagement of America’s purse strings has now reached an unconscionable state.
The United States of America can not continue to mismanage its economic future. Future Congresses will have to deliver a multitude of future reforms and, regrettably, history tells us THAT will under no circumstances take place. Proposals for financing wellness reform have been primarily based on more “smoke and mirrors”. The “Cadillac” tax is scheduled to start in 2018.
The wellness care legislation that has been forced on each and just about every a single of us is known to be fiscally unsound. Where do we go from right here? It’s also simple to point the finger at the President and his administration. But Congress owns the responsibility of passing Well being Care Legislation. And THAT is the difficulty.
The 535 voting members of Congress shared the responsibility equally. If air physio pondering, intelligent, honorable Congressman had the entire duty for Overall health Care Reform, he or she would not have forced a fiscally unsound Overall health Care Reform Bill down our throats.
Now let’s once more evaluate how Overall health Care Reform will work against our senior citizens.
A most current government report identified that in 2000 there were 1.eight million accessible nursing home beds. As the year 2010 came to a close, there had been 1.7 million nursing property beds a net five % reduction in offered beds. And, there are no new nursing residences becoming constructed.
Right now there’s significantly less than 1.5 million Americans confined to nursing houses. Reportedly ten % of these nursing residences are operating under bankruptcy protection. It really is properly known that most of these facilities are understaffed and many never have competent support.
Subsequent, let’s consider that the Alzheimer’s Association tells us the likelihood of establishing Alzheimer’s right after age 85 is 50 percent. By 2030, they inform us that the quantity of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s illness is estimated to reach 7.7 million, a 50 % improve from the five.two million age 65 and older currently affected.
The logical query I have to ask is “if we can’t take adequate care of 1.five million men and women today, how can we possibly take care of 7.7 million folks in 2030?” We cannot. Far more merely put, when you or your spouse or your parent has Alzheimer’s, there is no spot for them to go. Not to be cruel, but if you ever feel for a moment about taking in an aged parent with Alzheimer’s into your property, please consider once again. Ask any caregiver who’s been via it. It is Assured to destroy any families’ peace of thoughts and harmony.
Why are not our political leaders actively working on options? Where’s the outcry? Regrettably our political leaders only align themselves with solvable challenges.
America’s seniors became extra hopeful reading that Wellness Reform will enable them with added Lengthy Term Care services. And we now know THAT is not going to occur. There are no plans in place to enable our nation’s seniors feel they will obtain the comfort and dignity of adequate lengthy term care services. What’s worse is the silence shared by all our political leaders. The silence is now deafening.