Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), the co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus, unveiled HR 1384, the Medicare for All Act of 2019 which would transition our current health care system to a public single-payer system over a two-year period. Rep. Jayapal’s plan does not detail how it would be paid for but includes comprehensive and generous provisions including long-term care benefits.
Under the long-term care section, health issues that qualify for coverage must: 1) Cause a functional limitation in performing one or more activities of daily living; or 2) Require a similar need of assistance in performing instrumental activities of daily living due to cognitive or other impairments. “Long-term services and supports” includes long-term care treatment, maintenance, or services needed to support the activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, including all long-term services and supports available under section 1915 of the Social Security Act, home and community-based services, and any additional services and supports identified by the secretary to support people with disabilities to live, work, and participate in their communities. Payments for such supports will be made to eligible providers within the standards set forth in the Act and as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. This legislation has very little chance of passing the House or Senate and we expect there to be further clarification of the legislation going forward.
