A new proposal from Vice President Kamala Harris has some improvements for senior care in mind. This is still a long way from becoming a binding law upon care services and providers, but the intent is that these changes will help to improve the quality of care that the elderly receive as they age so that they can see an improved quality of life as a result.
Harris’s proposal focuses on enhancing support for older Americans, addressing issues like healthcare access, affordability, and the quality of care being received. Key components include increasing funding for home and community-based services, expanding Medicare coverage, and improving workforce training for caregivers. The proposal aims to ensure that seniors can age with dignity and receive the care they need while also supporting their families. Harris emphasizes the importance of creating a comprehensive system that prioritizes the wellbeing of not just older adults, but their caregivers, too.
VP Harris has made some recent campaign proposals for changes to senior care, but they have a long way to go if they are going to become laws.
One of the big changes that would come out of the proposals is that Medicare would cover in-home care for seniors in need. At this time, Medicare doesn’t cover much in the department of in-home care. Some states see Medicaid cover some of the costs of in-home care, but the coverage that currently exists is not universal. Medicaid (Medi-Cal, here in California) does a lot, but it’s only available for those in the lowest financial brackets. It doesn’t apply to all seniors. This plan would expand coverage so that all seniors eligible for government benefits would qualify for this kind of coverage.
At this time these proposals are just that–proposals. There’s no promise that they will come to fruition. Even if Harris is elected, it is a long and laborious process for an idea to become a binding policy. For now, these are just visions for what senior care might look like and how it would be applied.
There are certainly some concerns about this plan, namely the cost. Some experts believe that the plan will cost tens of billions of dollars more to put into action than what current projections are estimating. No one disputes that putting protective measures in place to help seniors stay safer and healthier is a great idea. All seniors deserve the best care and support that they can get as they age. But if the cost of implementing these measures is so high that it does more harm than good, a different plan will become necessary. The details of this plan still need to be seen, but this is one big potential barrier to seeing this come into action.
In the meantime, we’re here to help you. Do you have questions about senior care? Do you want to learn more about the steps that you can take to improve the quality of life that your loved ones experience? We’re here for you. Give us a call today to talk more about how in-home care can help your family right now–regardless of what may or may not happen in the future. There are steps you can take to help your loved ones and being proactive can help you stay ahead of potential law and policy changes.
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