How To Respond To The Passage Of CLASS

It appears that any final efforts to remove the CLASS Act from the Senate Health legislation have failed and thus it looks almost assured that we are witnessing the birth of a long-term care insurance plan that will be offered by the federal government.

Inevitably, the new plan will be included within newspaper and magazine stories that help American consumers understand what it all means to them. That will likely generate questions from people who already purchased long-term care insurance. It will inevitably bring up questions from those who are looking into it. It will certainly impact employers who will be the ones offering the federal plan to employees.

The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance will develop succinct and factual talking points for consumers. The federal plan will provide benefits to many who would otherwise never be able to secure long-term care insurance protection.

It will likely also confuse many and will give people a false sense of security or a reason to put off planning for long-term care. That would be an enormous mistake.

We will be soliciting input from thought leaders and from the various insurers. Undoubtedly they will want to be prepared to handle calls from inquiring customers.

If you have suggestions or wish to share statements you have seen, that would be most welcome.

Send them on to: Jesse Slome, E-mail: mailto:jslome@aaltci.org