This week, the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington,D.C., held a briefing on the CLASS Act, a long-term care insurance plan that generally has garnered praise from the long-term care community.
Among those present were Judy Feder, Diane Rowland, Josh Wiener and Howard Gleckman—all respected long-term care researchers andexperts.
Yet another expert attending and carefully observing was Stephen A. Moses, who offered a unique look at the meeting in an e-mail this week. His views are insightful, humorous and thought-provoking. Head of the Center for Long-Term Care Reform, which is based in Seattle (in a different Washington), he has adecidedly different take on the CLASS Act than some of his peers in thebeltway.
If you know Moses, you probably know his feelings on theCLASS Act. In brief, he’s not a fan. Some, in fact, may consider him a bit of aspoiler.
Whether or not you agree with him, his ideas are worththinking about. Among his gripes: The CLASS Act would lead to another expensivegovernment program, and there is not a need for it since Americans already havethe option of purchasing private long-term care insurance.
It may be easy to see him as someone just throwing dartsat those in the ivory tower of Washington, but his main message—look before youleap—is a good one. All voices should be heard on healthcare reform. Thatincludes those outside of Washington.
