Vice President Kamala Harris announced a new proposal on Tuesday that would require Medicare to cover the costs of long-term care at home.
That coverage could potentially allow millions of seniors and people with disabilities to get care at home rather than in a nursing facility.
Harris’s universal in-home care proposal would require congressional action. But it could offer unprecedented relief to Americans who currently act as caregivers for family members. The vice president pointed out that her plan could be especially beneficial to those caring for both their aging parents and their children.
“It’s just almost impossible to do it all, especially if [caregivers] work,” Harris said on ABC’s “The View,” where she first laid out her plan. “We’re finding so many are them having to leave their jobs, which means losing a source of income, not to mention the emotional stress.”
Tricia Neuman, senior vice president and executive director of the Program on Medicare Policy at KFF, said Harris’s proposal was historic.
“It’s been a long time – decades – since a presidential candidate put forward a Medicare proposal to help middle income families cope with the crushing cost of home care,” Neuman said.
“This leaves many middle income families on the hook for the cost of caring for an aging parent or grandparent,” Neuman said.
The cost of providing in-home long-term care services is staggering. KFF estimated that paying for a professional live-in home health aide, for example, can cost more than $288,000 a year.