Weekly News Wrap-Up (October 26 - October 30)

House Adopts CLASS Act; “Red Flags” Rule Bill Stalls In Senate Committee (McKnight’s Long-Term Care News & Assisted Living, October 30, 2009)
The House of Representatives has decided to include the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act, a voluntary long-term care insurance program, in its healthcare reform bill.

GAO: Elderly, Disabled Voters Still Confront Access Problems (McKnight’s Long-Term Care News & Assisted Living, October 29, 2009)
The Department of Justice should do more to ensure that elderly and disabled individuals have voting access, a recently released report found.

House Mulls Adding CLASS Act to Healthcare Reform Bill (McKnight’s Long-Term Care News & Assisted Living, October 28, 2009)
Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives are strongly considering adding the CLASS Act to their version of healthcare reform.

The National Advisory Board (NAB) was Invited to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Annual Summit to Present “Declaration for Independence” and Discuss State Long Term Services and Supports Programs
Four members of the NAB told an audience of legislators from across the country that the NAB’s Call to Action to transform our health care system to address long term services and supports was about people, not programs. Len Kirschner, Rob Sweezy, Jane Woods and Chuck Graham spoke to the National Conference of State Legislators on a panel entitled “Transforming the Systems of Care for Seniors and People with Disabilities.” The panel was moderated by Senator Renee Unterman (GA) who also serves as the Chair of NCSLs Human Services and Welfare Committee.