First lady Vicky Cayetano said yesterday that critics, primarily state Senate Republicans, are being unfair in labeling a proposed state-sponsored mandatory long-term care insurance program as a hoax and a scam. First lady criticizes
care plan oppositionCarePlus supporters say the plan
lowers long-term care costsBy Bruce Dunford
Associated Press
Cayetano and others supporting the CarePlus program said it will help families face the financial burden of taking care of senior or disabled members.
"We have no hidden agenda and only wish to help bridge the current shortcomings in our state and federal system of health care," Cayetano told a news conference at the state Capitol. "These programs leave our most elderly and helpless citizens exposed to costly extended long-term care."
The CarePlus plan, which has been approved in similar bills by the House and Senate, calls for a mandatory $10 monthly tax on all workers over the age of 25. After a 10-year vesting period, it would pay the maximum benefit of $70 a day for long-term care services for up to 365 days.
House Minority Leader Galen Fox (R, Waikiki-Ala Wai) suggested yesterday that Gov. Ben Cayetano join other governors who are pressing Congress to include long-term care under the federal Medicare health insurance program for those over age 64.
That would free the state's 44 percent share under the Medicaid program, which is now used to cover 90 percent of the people in nursing homes, Fox said.
"If we could have that 44 percent back, we would have plenty of money to provide long-term care programs without resorting to raising taxes," he said. "Vicky should tell her husband to go jump on the bandwagon and go after the federal government."
State Sen. Fred Hemmings (R, Kailua-Waimanalo), insists that private longer-term care insurance plans are available at the same cost with better benefits.
Vicky Cayetano and other CarePlus supporters said that is not the case.
Norm Baker, Child and Family Service vice president of administration, said while private long-term care coverage is available at lower cost for young people, costs soar for people in their 50s and 60s.
"Much has been made of the fact that this program competes with the commercial sector. It is not our intent to do that. Our intent is to partner with them and provide entry-level protection" for people who cannot afford private insurance and do not qualify for Medicaid, Baker said.
While CarePlus would cost each worker $120 a year, one local insurance company offers customers ages 18 to 30 an annual premium of $255, he said.
Vicky Cayetano said the state plan is not meant to provide nursing home care, but targets supplemental care and support in the home.
"What's good about the benefit is that even though it is one year, it's not necessarily that you take it consecutively," she said, noting that benefits could be taken once a week, so services would be provided over several years.
George Honjiyo, chairman of the Coalition for Affordable Long-Term Care, was "very upset" that supporters were accused of perpetuating a hoax.
"We've been working on this for over 10 years," he said. "To think that we are advocating something that is a hoax and are misrepresenting it to the people is really an insult to us."
Legislature Directory
Testimony by email: testimony@capitol.hawaii.gov
Legislature Bills & Hawaii Revised Statutes
Include in the email the committee name; bill number;
date, time and place of the hearing; and number of copies
(as listed on the hearing notice.) For more information,
see http://www.hawaii.gov/lrb/par
or call 587-0478.
