Howard Gleckman

Fix the CLASS Act. Don’t Repeal It.

KFF Health News Original

Congressional critics want to repeal the CLASS act. But without it, millions of disabled adults, frail seniors and their families will be left with only Medicaid’s tattered safety net.

Will Private Long-Term Care Insurance Supplement the CLASS Act?

KFF Health News Original

CLASS takes a step towards moving long-term care financing from the welfare-like Medicaid program to an insurance-based system. But CLASS alone won’t get there. Private insurance, currently a niche product that covers only about seven million Americans, will have to play an important role as well.

Why Are Fewer Patients Enrolling in Hospice?

KFF Health News Original

It is not clear why it’s happening, but some hospice officials blame both a bad economy and Medicare rules that unintentionally discourage doctors from referring all but those who are about to die.

For Senior Care, Sometimes It Does Take A Village

KFF Health News Original

Nearly three years ago, Harry Rosenberg and his wife, Barbara Filner, met with nine of their neighbors about starting an aging-in-place “village” in Bethesda, Maryland. The idea: If neighbors could help one another with basic services such as transportation and simple home maintenance and with friendly visits, people could stay in their homes longer as they aged.

It’s Time To Coordinate Care For The Disabled And Frail Elderly

KFF Health News Original

Since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid nearly 45 years ago, the government has separated acute medical care from personal assistance and long-term care, placing many of the most vulnerable people in the nation at risk. An obscure provision of the Senate health bill attempts to crack that barrier.