Key Hill Democrats are rallying around Vice President Kamala Harris' plan to establish a Medicare benefit for long-term home care, saying it addresses a pent up need of family caregivers, Victoria reports.
Why it matters: Any Medicare revision would have to pass through the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees — and would be a non-starter without the backing of top Democrats on the panels.
What they're saying: "Vice President Harris hears the pain that too many Americans experience in accessing and affording long term care — whether for themselves or for loved ones — and we must act," Ways and Means Ranking Member Richard Neal said in a statement to Axios.
- "I share her vision for a comprehensive solution — it's a matter of dignity for those needing the care and necessity for caregivers," added Neal.
- "Most Americans who need long-term care would prefer to receive it at home when it's possible. I'm all in to improve long-term care at home for seniors and Americans with disabilities as well as working conditions for those who provide that care," Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden said in a statement.
Catch up quick: Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, outlined the policy today, branding it as a "Medicare At Home" benefit.
- It envisions having Medicare cover at-home services such as those furnished by home health aides for the first time, using savings from drug price negotiations, manufacturer rebates and PBM reforms to pay the cost.
- An information sheet released by the Harris campaign states that the services could be tailored to fit need and that Medicare would cover the costs for those of modest incomes and use a sliding scale for wealthier individuals.
- The proposal also includes adding hearing and vision coverage for Medicare enrollees.
The Harris campaign pitches the idea as a cost-saver, because staying in one's home is cheaper than being sent to a nursing home or other institutional setting.
The other side: "Once again, Kamala Harris is copying President Trump and stealing an idea he already proposed," Karoline Leavitt, national press secretary for the Trump campaign, said in a statement to Axios.
- "As announced over the summer, President Trump will take care of our seniors by shifting resources back to at-home senior care, overturning disincentives that lead to care worker shortages, and supporting unpaid family caregivers through tax credits and reduced red tape."
Reality check: It's better for Harris to have the statements of support from key Democrats than not to have them, but they're really the bare minimum she'd need for the proposal to have any chance in Congress.
- She'd also need a strategy for getting it past Republicans, who could control the Senate or the House or both after the elections.
- It's also likely to be an expensive plan, and her ideas on how to pay for it are likely to appeal mainly to Democrats.
