Bipartisan Policy Center: The Growing Cost of Inaction: A Practical Framework for Addressing the Long-Term Care Financing Challenge
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Proposal Overview
Name: Bipartisan Policy Center: The Growing Cost of Inaction: A Practical Framework for Addressing the Long-Term Care Financing Challenge
Year: 2025
Sponsoring Organization and Key Author(s):
Sponsoring Organization:
The Bipartisan Policy Center is a nonprofit, non-partisan think tank that brings together Republicans and Democrats to develop evidence-based policy recommendations on issues like energy, health, housing, and economic policy.
Key Authors:
Not specified
Program Details
Overview: This report describes long-term care financing and the challenges of providing long-term care to our growing aging population. It offers policy recommendations to address these challenges and to help middle-income older adults avoid spending down their savings and ending up on Medicaid. Proposals to strengthen the private long-term care insurance market, and encourage innovative state and federal solutions are also included.
Major Legislative Recommendations
Expand/Enhance Caregiver Programs
Medicare
Recommends adding a respite benefit for unpaid family caregivers to Medicare that could cover up to 168 hours of home care annually for eligible Medicare beneficiaries.
Recommends Congress permit Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans to market a voluntary, limited LTSS benefit as a supplemental insurance option funded through additional premiums.