B'nai B'rith International
  • About Us
    • 175th Anniversary
    • History of Service
    • 2021 Annual Report >
      • Financials
    • Presidents Book
    • Around the World >
      • Australia & New Zealand
      • Canada
      • Cuba
      • Europe
      • Israel
      • Latin America >
        • Argentina
        • Brazil
        • Chile, Bolivia and Peru >
          • Anti-Semitism Forum in Santiago 2019
        • Northern Latin America and the Caribbean
        • Organization of American States (OAS)
        • Uruguay and Paraguay
      • South Africa
      • United States >
        • Allegheny/Ohio Valley
        • Atlanta, Georgia
        • Chesapeake Bay
        • Colorado
        • Evergreen
        • Golden Pacific
        • Great Lakes >
          • B'nai B'rith Great Lakes Scholarship Program
        • Greater Florida
        • Kentucky
        • Liberty
        • MetroNorth
        • Midwest
        • New England
        • North Central
        • Southern California
        • Omaha, Nebraska
        • Southern Communities
        • St. Louis, Missouri
        • Texarkoma
        • Tri-State
    • Departments & Careers
    • 2021 National Healthcare Award Dinner
    • 2021 Leadership Forum Program
    • Leadership
    • Programs >
      • For Communities >
        • Project H.O.P.E.
      • For Culture and Education >
        • Unto Every Person
        • Center For Jewish Identity
        • Enlighten America
        • Museum and Archives >
          • B'nai B'rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum® Collection
          • Holocaust Art Resource List
          • Palestine Mandate Coins
        • Smarter Kids - Safer Kids
      • For Kids >
        • B'nai B'rith Cares for Kids
        • Diverse Minds
    • Senior Staff
    • B'nai B'rith Connect >
      • Connect Newsletters
      • Past Connect Events
    • Privacy Policy
  • Global Advocacy
    • Take Action!
    • Anti-Semitism / None Shall Be Afraid >
      • About None Shall Be Afraid
      • B'nai B'rith on the Front Lines
      • Resources
      • Online Anti-Semitism: A Toolkit for Civil Society
      • NSBA Essay Contest
      • Take Our Pledge
    • AJIRI-BBI
    • DURBAN AT 20
    • IMPACT: Emerging Leaders Fellowship
    • Intercommunal Affairs
    • Tolerance and Diversity
    • Canada
    • Europe
    • Israel and The Middle East
    • Latin America
    • United Kingdom
    • United Nations
    • United States
  • Israel
    • World Center – Jerusalem
    • Israel and the Middle East
    • Israel Emergency Fund
    • Fighting BDS
    • History in Israel
    • Center Stage 2021
    • Previous Center Stage Editions
    • Jewish Rescuers Citation >
      • Jewish Rescue
  • Seniors
    • CSS Response to COVID-19
    • Virtual Trainings
    • CSS Advocacy
    • 50 Years of Senior Housing
    • B'nai B'rith Senior Housing Network Timeline >
      • Wilkes-Barre
      • Harrisburg, Pa.
      • St. Louis, Mo.
      • Reading, Pa.
      • Silver Spring, Md.
      • Allentown, Pa.
      • Peoria, Ill.
      • Houston, Texas
      • Claymont, Del.
      • Pasadena, Texas
      • Boston, Mass.
      • Hot Springs, Ark.
      • Queens, N.Y.
      • Scranton, Pa.
      • Fort Worth, Texas
      • Deerfield Beach, Fla.
      • Sheboygan, Wis.
      • Schenectady, N.Y.
      • South Orange, N.J.
      • Bronx, N.Y.
      • Tuscon, Ariz. - B'nai B'rith Covenant House
      • Marlton, N.J.
      • Los Angeles, Calif.
      • New Haven, Conn.
      • Chesilhurst, N.J.
      • Tucson, Ariz. - Gerd & Inge Strauss B'nai B'rith Manor on Pantano
      • Dothan, Ala.
      • Sudbury, Mass.
    • CSS Staff Bios
    • B'nai B'rith Resident Leadership Retreat
    • CSS Puerto Rico Meeting 2019
    • Housing Locations
    • Seniority Report Newsletter
  • Humanitarian Aid
    • Community Support
    • Cuba Relief >
      • Cuba Missions
      • Get Involved
      • Cuba Blog
      • Where We Work
      • Cuba History
    • Disaster Relief >
      • Africa
      • Asia
      • Haiti
      • Latin America
      • United States >
        • SBP-New York Thanks B'nai B'rith Disaster Relief
  • News & Media
    • B'nai B'rith Impact Spring 2022
    • B'nai B'rith Magazine >
      • 2021 Winter B'nai B'rith Magazine
      • Magazine Archives
      • Past Magazine Articles
    • Expert Analysis >
      • Policy and Advocacy
      • Israel
      • Seniors
      • Jewish Identity
      • Community Action
    • In the News
    • Sign Up For B'nai B'rith Email Newsletters
    • Press Releases
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars and Conversations
    • Zero.Dot.Two Initiative
  • Partner with Us
    • B'nai B'rith Today
    • Give to B'nai B'rith
    • Membership
    • Planned Giving & Endowments >
      • Bequests
      • Charitable Gift Annuities
      • Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT)
      • Donor Testimonials
    • Giving >
      • Donate Stock
      • Foundations & Corporate Giving
      • Tribute Cards
      • Shop AmazonSmile
      • Purchase B'nai B'rith Apparel
    • Disaster Relief
    • Tree Of Life
    • Contact Form
  • B'nai B'rith Extra
    • Content For You
    • Upcoming Events

Long-Term Care Insurance: It’s Time to Problem Solve

9/27/2021

 
We have all seen the statistics that America is graying and our country needs to meet the challenges of a growing senior population. Oftentimes, those statistics are discussed in the context of Social Security and Medicare, two very popular government programs. However, what is often not discussed is the concept of providing affordable long-term care insurance. According to the National Institute on Aging: 
​
“Long-term care involves a variety of services designed to meet a person's health or personal care needs during a short or long period of time. These services help people live as independently and safely as possible when they can no longer perform everyday activities on their own. Long-term care is provided in different places by different caregivers, depending on a person's needs … It can also be given in a facility such as a nursing home or in the community, for example, in an adult day care center.” 

Currently, in the United States less than 10% of Americans have long-term care insurance, partially because it’s not covered by Medicare and premiums are cost prohibitive. The issue gets compounded because 50% of people who turn 65 will require some assistance with long-term care and, given the exploding senior population, you see why providing “affordable care” is a problem that will only get worse.
 
Recently, Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) introduced the WISH Act that looks to make catastrophic long-term care insurance more economical. Suozzi’s legislation would provide beneficiaries an average of $3,600 a month for care, with the timing of benefits determined by an individual’s income and physical needs. Furthermore, Suozzi believes this legislation would ease the government’s financial obligations because less people would need to spend down their assets to qualify for long-term care through Medicaid. Suozzi said, “We have a storm coming, with the number of disabled elders expected to double in the coming years. Fewer family caregivers are available for these aging Americans and the market for long-term care insurance is not currently sufficient to address these demographic challenges. The WISH Act would save the Medicaid program and millions of Americans from financial ruin, would allow people to age at home with dignity, and would create millions of good-paying, middle class jobs in the home health care industry.” 

In addition, similar to Social Security, the WISH Act would not contribute to the debt because the program would create a trust fund that would be financed by a 0.3% wage tax on employees and employers. Also, Suozzi argues that the legislation would allow the private insurance market to offer more affordable plans because insurance companies would not have to guard against catastrophic long-term care. 

It’s not just Suozzi who is problem solving; currently, Washington state is launching a long-term care insurance program that will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. Benefits are awarded based on physical need and have a lifetime cap of $36,500. The program is funded through a 0.58% payroll tax on wages and individuals may opt out if they purchase their own insurance. This legislation is projected to save $1.9 billion by 2052 for Washington Medicaid. Like the WISH Act, proponents of the bill argue cost savings will be realized because people won’t have to use Medicaid to pay for long term care. 

Nobody should have to go broke or go without care simply because they are getting older. As our senior population keeps growing and private insurance continues to be unaffordable, our country’s long-term care crisis is only getting worse. Legislative fixes that ease the financial burden on Medicaid and provide affordable long-term care must be examined. As we prepare for the future, we should work under the premise that caring for older Americans is more than shoring up existing programs like Social Security and Medicare, but also looking to find ways to expand care, which must include solutions to our advancing long-term care crisis.

Picture
Evan Carmen, Esq. is the Legislative Director for Aging Policy at the B’nai B’rith International Center for Senior Services. He holds a B.A. from American University in political science and a J.D. from New York Law School.  Prior to joining B’nai B’rith International he worked in the Office of Presidential Correspondence for the Obama White House, practiced as an attorney at Covington and Burling, LLP, worked as an aide for New York City Council Member Tony Avella and interned for Congressman Gary Ackerman’s office. Click here to read more from Evan Carmen.

    Analysis From Our Experts

    B'nai B'rith International has widely respected experts in the fields of:

    • Global Advocacy
    • Supporting & Defending Israel
    • Senior Housing & Advocacy
    • Humanitarian Aid

    Archives

    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014

    Categories

    All
    2020
    2020 Census
    Abraham Accords
    ADA
    Adriana Camisar
    Affordable Housing
    Afro Semitic
    Aging
    AJIRI
    Alan Schneider
    Alberto Nisman
    Algemeiner
    Alina Bricman
    Alt-right
    American History
    Americans With Disabilities Act
    AMIA
    Anita Winter
    Anti-Defamation Commission
    Anti Semitism
    Anti-Semitism
    Argentina
    Art
    Art & Music
    Asia
    Australia
    Australian Jewish News
    Azerbaijan
    Balfour Declaration
    Bambi Sheleg
    Ban Ki-moon
    Barr Foundation
    BDS
    Benefits
    Benjamin Naegele
    B'nai B'rith
    B'nai B'rith Anti-defamation Commission
    B'nai B'rith Frankfurt
    B'nai B'rith Housing
    B'nai B'rith International
    Bolivia
    Boris Johnson
    Brazil
    Breana Clark
    Build Back Better
    Campus
    Caregiver Credits
    Caregivers
    Catholic Church
    CEIRPP
    Census
    Center For Senior Services
    Charles O. Kaufman
    Cheryl Kempler
    Claims Conference
    Cold War
    Colombia
    Comedy
    Commission On The Status Of Women
    Community Action
    Congress
    Coronavirus
    Cristina Fernández De Kirchner
    CSS
    CSS Housing
    Csw
    Cuba
    Cuban Jewish Relief Project
    Cyprus
    Daniel Mariaschin
    Dava Sobel
    David Michaels
    Dept. Of Housing And Urban Development
    Dianne Strauss
    Dilma Rousseff
    Disabilities
    Disabled Americans
    Disaster Relief
    Discrimination
    Dr. Howard Weiner
    Durban
    Dvir Abramovich
    Ecuador
    Eduardo Kohn
    Eighth Summit Of The Americas
    Elections
    Embassy
    Entebbe
    Eric Fusfield
    Europe
    European Union
    Evan Carmen
    Expert Analysis
    Facebook
    Fatah
    Fiduciary
    Film
    Fox News
    France
    Gaza
    Georgia
    Germany
    Greece
    Guatemala
    Gun Reform
    Gun Violence
    Halle
    Hamas
    Hanukkah
    Harvard University
    Health Care
    Hebrew
    Helen Levitt
    Helping Communities
    Hezbollah
    Holidays
    Holocaust
    Holocaust Survivors
    Homecrest House
    Honduras
    HUD
    Human Rights
    Human Rights Public Policy
    IACHR
    Ibrahim Yassin
    ICC
    ICHRPP
    IDF
    IHRA
    Ilhan Omar
    Immigration
    India
    InsideSources
    Inter-American Commission On Human Rights (IACHR)
    Iran
    Iran Deal
    Irina Bokova
    Israel
    Israel Nation-state Law
    Item 7
    Janel Doughten
    Japan
    Jeremy Havardi
    Jerusalem
    Jewish
    Jewish-catholic Relations
    Jewish Communal Leadership
    Jewish Culture
    Jewish Film Festival
    Jewish Heritage
    Jewish History
    Jewish Identity
    Jewish Journal
    Jewish Leadership
    Jewish Movies
    Jewish Museum
    Jewish Refugees
    Jewish Rescuers Citation
    Jews
    JNS
    JRJ
    Judaica
    Judaism
    Kakehashi Project
    Kindertransport
    Knesset
    Kristallnacht
    Kyoto
    Latin America
    Laura Hemlock
    Leadership Forum
    Lebanon
    Lgbtq+
    LIHTC
    Lima
    Literature
    Long Term Care Insurance
    Low-income
    Low Income Seniors
    Low-income Seniors
    Luis Almagro
    Mahmoud Abbas
    Mark Olshan
    Mauricio Macri
    Medicaid
    Medicare
    Memorandum Of Understanding
    Mexico
    Middle East Affairs
    Mohammed El Halabi
    Music
    Nahum Goldmann Fellowship (NGF)
    Newsweek
    NGF
    Nicolas Maduro
    None Shall Be Afraid
    NRA
    OAS
    Older Americans Act
    Olympics
    Op Ed
    Op-ed
    Opioid Crisis
    Oren Drori
    OSCE
    Palestinian
    Palestinians
    Panama
    Paraguay
    Pat Wolfson Endowment
    Perlman Camp
    Peru
    Photography
    Poland
    Policy
    Policy And Advocacy
    Pope Francis
    Portugal
    Poverty
    Programming
    Programs
    Project H.O.P.E.
    Public Policy
    Purim
    Rachel Goldberg
    Rachel Knopp
    Rashida Tlaib
    Rebecca Rose
    Rebecca Saltzman
    Religious Freedom
    Rep. Cheri Bustos
    Rep. Jamie Raskin
    Rhonda Love
    Richard Heideman
    Richard Spencer
    Roberta Jacobson
    Rod Serling
    Romania
    Sarah Halimi
    Saul Steinberg
    Section 202
    Senior Housing
    Senior Housing Advocacy
    Seniors
    Seniors Issues
    Shimon Peres
    Sienna Girgenti
    SNAP
    Social Security
    South America
    Spain
    Summit Of The Americas
    Sup
    Supporting Defending Israel
    Sweden
    Syria
    Syrian Refugees
    Tareck El Aissami
    Temple Mount
    Terror
    Terrorism
    Theater
    The Twilight Zone
    Times Of Israel
    Tokyo
    Trump
    Twitter
    Ukraine
    UN
    U.N.
    Un Affairs
    UNESCO
    UNGA
    UNHRC
    United
    United Nations
    United Nations Human Rights Council
    UNRWA
    UN Security Council
    Unto Every Person
    Uruguay
    U.S. Congress
    U.S. House Of Representatives
    Vatican
    Venezuela
    Volunteering
    Voter ID Laws
    Voting
    We Walk To Remember
    White House
    WHO
    William Kentridge
    Winter Olympics
    World Center
    World Heritage Committee
    World Jewish Congress
    World Vision
    Wuppertal
    YLN
    Ynetnews
    Yom Hashoah
    Yom HaZikaron
    Young Leadership Network
    Zionism

    RSS Feed

Connect With Us

About B'nai B'rith

Contact Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletters
Programs


Support Our Work

Attend an Event
Become a Member
Donate Now
B'nai B'rith Apparel

Subscribe

Apple Podcasts
Spotify

Stitcher
​Youtube
​​
© 2022 - B'nai B'rith International 

1120 20th Street NW, Suite 300N
Washington, D.C. 20036

Phone: 202-857-6600
Privacy Policy 
Picture
  • About Us
    • 175th Anniversary
    • History of Service
    • 2021 Annual Report >
      • Financials
    • Presidents Book
    • Around the World >
      • Australia & New Zealand
      • Canada
      • Cuba
      • Europe
      • Israel
      • Latin America >
        • Argentina
        • Brazil
        • Chile, Bolivia and Peru >
          • Anti-Semitism Forum in Santiago 2019
        • Northern Latin America and the Caribbean
        • Organization of American States (OAS)
        • Uruguay and Paraguay
      • South Africa
      • United States >
        • Allegheny/Ohio Valley
        • Atlanta, Georgia
        • Chesapeake Bay
        • Colorado
        • Evergreen
        • Golden Pacific
        • Great Lakes >
          • B'nai B'rith Great Lakes Scholarship Program
        • Greater Florida
        • Kentucky
        • Liberty
        • MetroNorth
        • Midwest
        • New England
        • North Central
        • Southern California
        • Omaha, Nebraska
        • Southern Communities
        • St. Louis, Missouri
        • Texarkoma
        • Tri-State
    • Departments & Careers
    • 2021 National Healthcare Award Dinner
    • 2021 Leadership Forum Program
    • Leadership
    • Programs >
      • For Communities >
        • Project H.O.P.E.
      • For Culture and Education >
        • Unto Every Person
        • Center For Jewish Identity
        • Enlighten America
        • Museum and Archives >
          • B'nai B'rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum® Collection
          • Holocaust Art Resource List
          • Palestine Mandate Coins
        • Smarter Kids - Safer Kids
      • For Kids >
        • B'nai B'rith Cares for Kids
        • Diverse Minds
    • Senior Staff
    • B'nai B'rith Connect >
      • Connect Newsletters
      • Past Connect Events
    • Privacy Policy
  • Global Advocacy
    • Take Action!
    • Anti-Semitism / None Shall Be Afraid >
      • About None Shall Be Afraid
      • B'nai B'rith on the Front Lines
      • Resources
      • Online Anti-Semitism: A Toolkit for Civil Society
      • NSBA Essay Contest
      • Take Our Pledge
    • AJIRI-BBI
    • DURBAN AT 20
    • IMPACT: Emerging Leaders Fellowship
    • Intercommunal Affairs
    • Tolerance and Diversity
    • Canada
    • Europe
    • Israel and The Middle East
    • Latin America
    • United Kingdom
    • United Nations
    • United States
  • Israel
    • World Center – Jerusalem
    • Israel and the Middle East
    • Israel Emergency Fund
    • Fighting BDS
    • History in Israel
    • Center Stage 2021
    • Previous Center Stage Editions
    • Jewish Rescuers Citation >
      • Jewish Rescue
  • Seniors
    • CSS Response to COVID-19
    • Virtual Trainings
    • CSS Advocacy
    • 50 Years of Senior Housing
    • B'nai B'rith Senior Housing Network Timeline >
      • Wilkes-Barre
      • Harrisburg, Pa.
      • St. Louis, Mo.
      • Reading, Pa.
      • Silver Spring, Md.
      • Allentown, Pa.
      • Peoria, Ill.
      • Houston, Texas
      • Claymont, Del.
      • Pasadena, Texas
      • Boston, Mass.
      • Hot Springs, Ark.
      • Queens, N.Y.
      • Scranton, Pa.
      • Fort Worth, Texas
      • Deerfield Beach, Fla.
      • Sheboygan, Wis.
      • Schenectady, N.Y.
      • South Orange, N.J.
      • Bronx, N.Y.
      • Tuscon, Ariz. - B'nai B'rith Covenant House
      • Marlton, N.J.
      • Los Angeles, Calif.
      • New Haven, Conn.
      • Chesilhurst, N.J.
      • Tucson, Ariz. - Gerd & Inge Strauss B'nai B'rith Manor on Pantano
      • Dothan, Ala.
      • Sudbury, Mass.
    • CSS Staff Bios
    • B'nai B'rith Resident Leadership Retreat
    • CSS Puerto Rico Meeting 2019
    • Housing Locations
    • Seniority Report Newsletter
  • Humanitarian Aid
    • Community Support
    • Cuba Relief >
      • Cuba Missions
      • Get Involved
      • Cuba Blog
      • Where We Work
      • Cuba History
    • Disaster Relief >
      • Africa
      • Asia
      • Haiti
      • Latin America
      • United States >
        • SBP-New York Thanks B'nai B'rith Disaster Relief
  • News & Media
    • B'nai B'rith Impact Spring 2022
    • B'nai B'rith Magazine >
      • 2021 Winter B'nai B'rith Magazine
      • Magazine Archives
      • Past Magazine Articles
    • Expert Analysis >
      • Policy and Advocacy
      • Israel
      • Seniors
      • Jewish Identity
      • Community Action
    • In the News
    • Sign Up For B'nai B'rith Email Newsletters
    • Press Releases
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars and Conversations
    • Zero.Dot.Two Initiative
  • Partner with Us
    • B'nai B'rith Today
    • Give to B'nai B'rith
    • Membership
    • Planned Giving & Endowments >
      • Bequests
      • Charitable Gift Annuities
      • Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT)
      • Donor Testimonials
    • Giving >
      • Donate Stock
      • Foundations & Corporate Giving
      • Tribute Cards
      • Shop AmazonSmile
      • Purchase B'nai B'rith Apparel
    • Disaster Relief
    • Tree Of Life
    • Contact Form
  • B'nai B'rith Extra
    • Content For You
    • Upcoming Events