Republicans continue to pursue repeal of the health care law, despite almost certain failure thanks to a Democratic Senate majority and President Obama himself. However, efforts to alter or eliminate certain provisions put in place by the law stand a much better chance of passage.
In addressing the Republican strategy to whittle away at the Affordable Care Act, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp says, "If the tree is rotten, you cut it down." If that doesn't work, "we'll prune it branch by branch."
One of the "branches" Republicans hope to chop down is the CLASS Act, which is designed to help seniors and others stay in their homes if they become disabled. The Act set up a voluntary insurance program to be financed by payroll deductions, which provides beneficiaries with funds for non-medical care expenses.
Payments of at least $50 per day are designed to help pay for such expenses as compensating home health aides or family members who provide care, respite care for caretakers, household modifications made necessary by a disability, special transportation and technology needs, and assisted-living expenses.
Republicans object to what they see as a new entitlement program and insist costs will quickly exceed revenues. However, a number of bills, introduced by Republican lawmakers and designed to kill or delay CLASS, have not yet been acted upon by Congress.
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