Here’s what Kamala Harris said about home care for older Americans

Democratic presidential candidate and incumbent Vice President Kamala Harris recently launched a media campaign to appeal to voters ahead of next month’s presidential election, in which she will face Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump.

While Harris and Trump have unique experiences, they will bring them to bear when it comes to their influence on the US Federal Housing Administration As part of the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) Program’s (FHA) recent media appearance, Harris addressed senior-specific topics, including the availability of home care.

At an appearance on ABCOn the long-running talk show “The View,” Harris was asked by co-host Sunny Hostin about the outlook for long-term care based on a personal story.

“I’m part of what’s called the ‘sandwich generation,'” Hostin began. “I am an only child and will probably be responsible for looking after my children and my parents at the same time. Your application for long-term health insurance was rejected due to a pre-existing condition. They announce a plan on our show to ease the financial and emotional burden of families like mine caring for our aging loved ones. What kind of plan is this?”

Harris said the issue is also personal to her, as she was in a similar situation while caring for her own mother, who died in 2009.

“To take care of a parent, you have to try to cook what they want to eat,” Harris said. “It means choosing clothes for her that are soft enough [that] it doesn’t irritate your skin. It means coming up with something funny to make them laugh or smile. The main thing is to give people dignity.”

Harris also acknowledged that there are many people in the sandwich generation who lack both time and financial wealth.

“It’s almost impossible to do everything, especially when they work,” Harris said. “We find that so many then have to quit their jobs, which means they lose a source of income, not to mention the emotional toll. That’s why I’m proposing that we allow Medicare to cover home health care.”

Harris also spoke about the need to support the overwhelming desire of most seniors to age in place at home.

“People’s abilities may be diminished to some degree, but their dignity and pride have not diminished,” Harris said. “They want to stay in their home; They don’t want to go anywhere else. It’s also very expensive for the family to send them to a nursing home or hire someone.”

Regarding funding for such a proposal, Harris said the plan is to further strengthen Medicare’s ability to negotiate prescription drug prices. This would build on the ability it now has to negotiate prices for ten specific drugs – which will add to the program’s savings and enable more spending in areas such as home care.

“These resources are best used to help a family like the one you described,” Harris said. When asked about insurance company involvement, Harris said her plan was specifically designed for Medicare.

Regarding her opponent, the Trump campaign and the Republican Party’s 2024 platform describe a provision related to home care.

“Republicans will shift resources back to home elder care, eliminate disincentives that lead to caregiver shortages, and support unpaid family caregivers through tax credits and cutting red tape,” the platform says.

It also describes a desire to protect the Medicare program from being “financially devastated by Democrats’ plan to add tens of millions of new illegal immigrants to the Medicare rolls” and that the party promises to “protect Medicare for future generations.” to strengthen generations.”

The platform also explains Republicans’ position in 2024 on other elements of policy for older Americans, including support for “a greater focus on chronic disease prevention and management, long-term care and benefit flexibility,” it says. “We will expand access to basic services and supports that help seniors stay in their homes and maintain financial security.”

Politifact has called the claim related to the addition of illegal immigrants to Medicare rolls “largely false.” The outlet explained that part of the claim stemmed from Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign, in which she stated she supported “Medicare for All.” Harris said she no longer supports such a plan.

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