The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act, or Class Act, the first national plan to help the great majority of Americans who have no insurance for long-term care, became law in March. Even though there was little fanfare — the measure was just one piece of the broader health care overhaul — the idea had been hugely important to Mr. Kennedy and his staff, who had been working on the current version of the plan since 2003.
The program underwent a number of changes during the health care debate, so some projections are now out of date. And many details have yet to be established by the secretary of health and human services, Kathleen Sebelius, who is going to be one busy woman for the next couple of years.
But we do know enough to answer some basic questions. Four experts helped respond to some of the many queries from readers on the New Old Age blog. They are Howard Bedlin, vice president for advocacy at the National Council on Aging; Barbara Manard, a health economist with the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging; Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance; and Connie Garner, who after 17 years is about to leave her job on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
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