Late this afternoon the Department of Health & Human Services’ (HHS)Secretary Kathleen Sebelius pulled back a long-term care insurance program, the Class Act, that was passed under last year’s Affordable Care Act. The Class Act’s goal was to create an insurance program that could cover the health care costs associated with many activities of daily living, including bathing and toileting. Speaking today, the Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said that there didn’t appear to be a viable path for the Class Act, in part due to increasing concern that the program would have created substantial long-term costs.
Read Kathleen Sebelius’ full letter to Congress here.