Tuesday, April 20, 1999
Gore touts health care plan
Long-term illness focus of community forum in Roselawn
BY ANNE MICHAUD
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Thalia Latvala told the vice president she would not talk about the emotional pain of caring for her husband, who has an Alzheimer's-related disorder. The break in her voice said it all.
Instead, Ms. Latvala came to a forum Monday to challenge Vice President Al Gore to do more for families dealing with long-term illness — more financial help, more information, more so she can keep her job.
“My husband is in day care,” which is expensive, said Ms. Latvala. “I know I haven't hit the hardest part yet.”
Speaking at a town meeting at the Jewish Community Center in Roselawn, the vice president advertised a plan the administration proposed to Congress to boost long-term care benefits:
• A $1,000 tax credit for people caring for loved ones. He estimated that 75,000 people in Ohio would qualify.
• A National Family Caregiver Support program to allow states to fund respite care, which would give caregivers such as Ms. Latvala time for a break. The program would also create a series of resource centers to put families in touch with services, train them and offer counseling. Nearly 60 percent of caregivers experience clinical depression, the vice president said. The program is estimated to cost $625 million over five years and assist 250,000 a year nationwide.
• A $10 million, national campaign to help Medicare beneficiaries evaluate their needs and plug any holes in their coverage. Medicare does not cover most long-term care.
• A model long-term care insurance program for federal employees. Private policies would be available to the employees, retirees and their families. Estimates are 300,000 would participate.
• Removal of a barrier to states' expanding Medicaid coverage to in-home services. Currently, it is easier to expand that coverage to nursing homes unless a state seeks a federal waiver. Greater Cincinnati has extensive in-home services for the elderly, funded by a local property tax.
When loved ones such as Ms. Latvala stand by each other through long illnesses, the nation should back them up, Mr. Gore said.
“We as a country should be expressing support for .. people standing by their vows,” he said.
The vice president spent more than an hour in public conversation with people who could benefit from the ideas he proposed.
Carolyn Farris, who is also caring for a relatively young husband with Alzheimer's (he's 61), said she has had to give up her job and doesn't know who will hire her when her husband dies.
“I no longer qualify (for the tax credit), because we no longer have an income to be taxpayers,” she said.
Job security is a piece of the long-term care puzzle that has to be added, Mr. Gore said.
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