| Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, | | | | Services and Supports). Here are some startling |
| no one can deny the historical impact of this past | | | | statistics provided by the Democratic Policy |
| week with the passing and signing of Obama's | | | | Committee: |
| Healthcare Reform Bill. Much debate has already taken | | | | - Long-term supports and services are not affordable |
| place and will continue to take place in the coming | | | | or accessible for millions of Americans. |
| months, as the first steps are taken to implement this | | | | - An estimated 65 percent of those who are 65 today |
| giant Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act bill. | | | | will spend some time at home in need of long-term |
| Many of the most significant parts of the bill will not | | | | care services, at an average cost of $18,000 per year. |
| even go into effect until 2014, with others slated as far | | | | [Inquiry, 2005; Department of Health and Human |
| out as 2018. So, needless to say, it will be a long time | | | | Services, 10/22/2008] |
| before the success or failure of this legislation can be | | | | - Five million people under age 65 living in the |
| determined, and there are many holes to plug and | | | | community have long-term care needs and over |
| tweaks to make along the way. | | | | 70,000 workers with severe disabilities need daily |
| The impact of this bill will be felt by all Americans, but | | | | assistance to maintain their jobs and their |
| the group that arguably engages the healthcare | | | | independence. |
| system the most is the disabled community. This | | | | - One and a half million people are in nursing homes |
| community has many faces. The young disabled | | | | today. Roughly 9 million elderly Americans will need |
| veteran returning from Iraq and receiving care from | | | | help with activities of daily living (ADLs) during the |
| the Veterans Administration (VA). The elderly | | | | current year, and by 2030 that number will increase to |
| grandmother who has had to experience the panic of | | | | 14 million. |
| realizing that any nonmedical related needs she might | | | | - Many people who need long term services and |
| have following a severe illness, such as help bathing or | | | | supports rely on unpaid family and friends to provide |
| safely accessing various parts of her home, Medicare | | | | that care, but ultimately are forced to impoverish |
| will not cover. With nearly 50 million Americans having | | | | themselves to qualify for Medicaid, which remains the |
| a disability, and about two-thirds of these individuals | | | | primary payer for these services. These statistics are |
| having a severe disability, it's easy for an individual's | | | | known as the Persistent Long-Term Care Gap, and |
| struggle with the healthcare system to get lost in | | | | affects not only this country's elderly, but anyone who |
| translation. So how will the new legislation affect | | | | has a catastrophic accident or illness and requires |
| people with disabilities? | | | | long-term care. Under the CLASS Program, every |
| Some of the better known parts of the bill include | | | | single American will be able to voluntarily participate in |
| discrimination and the denial of coverage for | | | | this self-funded, insurance program. Individuals qualify |
| pre-existing conditions. This legislation will make being | | | | for benefits after paying premiums for five years, and |
| denied insurance because of a pre-existing condition a | | | | must have worked for at least three of those five |
| thing of the past, which will be of particular benefit to | | | | years. Beneficiaries receive a lifetime cash benefit, |
| persons with disabilities who have long struggled | | | | which is expected to pay roughly $75/day or more |
| against these obstacles. Other parts of the bill that | | | | than $27,000 per year. Because this is a cash benefit, |
| hope to lower the cost of healthcare for millions, could | | | | the money can be used to maintain independence at |
| inadvertently help people with disabilities by | | | | home through home modification equipment, cover the |
| hypothetically creating more expendable income in that | | | | costs of home care services or assisted living, or even |
| community and enable people with disabilities to | | | | buy a wheelchair accessible van in order to meet the |
| purchase the mobility equipment and services | | | | needs of daily life. Those who object to the Healthcare |
| necessary to live a full and productive daily life. | | | | Reform Bill due to tax increases will also be relieved to |
| A lesser discussed provision to the Healthcare Reform | | | | know that there is an absolute prohibition on the use of |
| Bill, is known as CLASS (Community Living Assistance | | | | taxpayer dollars to pay for this provision's benefits. |