AAHSA Statement on House Ways and Means Committee Hearing

"Health Reform in the 21st Century: Proposals to Reform the Health System"

WASHINGTON, June 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Association of
Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) applauds the House Ways and Means
Committee and its chair Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) for addressing value of
including long-term services and supports in health care reform legislation.
Long-term services and supports are often ignored, despite their central role
in America's health care crisis. The needs are great. The costs are high.
Insurance coverage is nearly non-existent. This makes it simply unaffordable
to care.

While health reform discussions have focused on the acute care system, we note
that the principles that underlie this draft bill resonate in the long term
services and supports field and mirror AAHSA's public policy and the policy
adopted by well over 100 organizations representing aging services and other
providers, consumer groups and persons with disabilities.

We are also pleased the committee's draft recognizes the value of improving
the payment system for nursing homes and address critical workforce issues,
access for beneficiaries, quality improvement and transparency.

What our country needs is a national insurance trust whose premiums provide
cash benefits to pay for long-term services and supports experience. When we
are well, we would pay premiums as we do for car or health insurance. An
example is Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act,
included in health reform legislation proposed by the Senate Health,
Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Every family faces the potential costs of long-term services and supports, and
every family needs a structure for personal planning with the protection of a
public program as well. AAHSA and its members look forward to working with
Congress and the Administration on a comprehensive and badly-needed reform of
our entire health care system that will address long-term services and
supports and make it affordable to care.

About AAHSA
AAHSA members (www.aahsa.org) help millions of individuals and their families
every day through mission-driven, not-for-profit organizations dedicated to
providing the services that people need, when they need them, in the place
they call home. Our 5,800 member organizations, many of which have served
their communities for generations, offer the continuum of aging services:
adult day services, home health, community services, senior housing, assisted
living residences, continuing care retirement communities and nursing homes.
AAHSA's commitment is to create the future of aging services through quality
people can trust.

SOURCE American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

Lauren Shaham of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging,
+1-202-508-1219, lshaham@aahsa.org