"We have said coverage has to be comprehensive, and this bill would help create a standard for coverage so that we don't end up with more people having useless insurance," said Mark D. Olshan, BBI associate executive vice president and head of the organization’s Center for Senior Services. “However, there are still several kinks that need to be worked out of this proposed system, including age-based pricing.”

While the bill, spearheaded by HELP chairman Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), calls for significant regulation of the insurance industry to prevent discrimination, it would allow age-based premium variation. B’nai B’rith opposes the use of age as a criteria for establishing healthcare costs because it can create unmanageable costs for older adults most in need of preventative or diagnostic care, including steps to control chronic conditions.

In visits to Capitol Hill this session, B'nai B'rith has strongly supported including mechanisms for dealing with long-term care needs, an issue this version of the bill considers.

"Senator Kennedy's commitment to creative thinking with respect to long-term care is probably the most significant aspect of the HELP committee's legislation from our perspective,” BBI Director of Healthcare Policy Rachel Goldberg said. “We hope that future work on this bill maintains that dedication to long-term care, an issue that is vital for the success of any forthcoming healthcare bill.”

In the weeks to come, separate healthcare bills are expected to be considered in both the Senate and the House. BBI will continue to work with Congress to advocate for meaningful healthcare reform that includes long-term services and supports and enables older adults to get the insurance they need.