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Davidow, Davidow, Siegel & Stern, LLP
Long Island's Elder Law, Special Needs & Estate Planning Firm

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The CLASS Act

On October 14, 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that it would not implement the portion of the Health Care Reform Act that was intended to provide voluntary long term care benefits for working Americans. The program known as the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act (CLASS Act) was designed to create a voluntary government program under which employees would pay a monthly premium and would be eligible for modest benefits for their long term care needs after five years of paying premiums.  The program was open to anyone who met certain work requirements - regardless of their health.

Under the terms of the CLASS Act, the program would go into effect only if it were economically viable. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius stated that she “did not see a viable path forward for CLASS implementation at this time." The report cited actuarial and solvency impediments as the reason why they had not found a way to make the program work. Premiums were projected to be too high and few healthy people were projected to enroll.

The problem that the CLASS Act was intended to address – aging population and paying for the high cost of long term care assistance - remains a pressing issue. The current cost for a nursing home in New York is $140,000 a year. The cost for home health care is $250 per day for 24/7 care and the cost of assisted living is $3,000-$6,000 per month. These costs are expected to continue to rise.  

Enrollment in private long term care insurance, subject to underwriting, can secure a policy for an individual that will provide the benefits needed for the future - be it staying at home with an aid or moving to a nursing home or an assisted living residence.  As one grows older, the cost of long term care insurance rises substantially and it may simply be unavailable should one become ill.  As a New York resident, one may be eligible for a program called the New York State Partnership for Long Term Care Insurance (NYSPLTC).  This allows residents to protect their assets while applying for Medicaid Extended Coverage if their long term care needs exceed the period covered by their qualified NYSPLTC insurance policy.

Long term care insurance is a benefit offered by employers to their employees and/or key people.  Employers, self-employed, LLC members, Sub C owners and partners in a partnership are eligible to receive income tax advantages as it relates to long term care insurance premiums. In addition, New York State offers a 20% tax credit.  Because long term care insurance is not considered an ERISA benefit, employers can offer it to employees on a select basis. Insurers often offer simplified underwriting and/or discounts to a block of people from a company or an association buying long term care insurance.

Attached is a link to an article from The New York Times that details the ending of the CLASS program: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/15/health/policy/15health.html.  

Source:  Robert S. Israel, CLU, Long Island Planning Group