Vice President Kamala Harris is proposing Medicare pay for at-home care.
Ms. Harris explained her proposal in an interview on talk show "The View" on Oct. 8.
"It's about helping an aging parent or person prepare a meal, put their sweater on. It's about dignity for that individual, it's about independence for that individual," Ms. Harris said.
Here are seven things to know about the proposal:
- The benefit would cover the cost of in-home health care by qualified home care workers and certified family caregivers. Medicare usually does not cover intermittent skilled nursing care at home, or long-term in-home care.
- Ms. Harris did not outline the exact cost of the plan but said it would be partially paid for by savings from Medicare drug price negotiations.
"We are going to save Medicare money, because we're not going to pay these high prices. Those resources are best put in a way that helps a family," Ms. Harris said on "The View."
- An estimate from the Brookings Institution found the policy could cost $40 billion annually.
- The policy is designed to help the "sandwich generation," or adults who care for both aging parents and children, Ms. Harris said on "The View." More than 40% of Americans provide unpaid caregiving, according to NPR.
- Home health advocacy groups praised the proposal.
Jason Lee, CEO of the Home Healthcare Association of America, said while details are forthcoming, the proposal "seems to align" with the group's mission.
"The expansion of Medicare to cover broader home care services is essential to support families and older adults who wish to remain at home while receiving care," Mr. Lee said in an Oct. 8 news release. - The National Council on Aging also backed Harris' proposal.
In an Oct. 8 statement, CEO Ramsey Alwin said expanded Medicare coverage for home care would be "game-changing."
"Today, older adults either must spend themselves into poverty to qualify for Medicaid or rely on family for the care they need. Coverage would give families a choice — and the dignity they deserve," Ms. Alwin said. - Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's campaign said the former president's platform includes a commitment to at-home care.
"Specifically, President Trump will prioritize home care benefits by shifting resources back to at-home senior care, overturning disincentives that lead to care worker shortages, and supporting unpaid family caregivers through tax credits and reduced red tape," the campaign said in an Oct. 8 news release.