Harris Set to Propose New Home Care Benefit for Seniors Under Medicare
The vice president is set to unveil the proposal during an appearance on “The View.”
TroibNews 
During a recent appearance on “The View,” Kamala Harris is anticipated to unveil a new policy designed to assist families in caring for their aging seniors.
The vice president plans to propose the establishment of a home care benefit within Medicare, which would help families cover the expenses associated with providing in-home care for seniors rather than opting for nursing facilities, according to a senior campaign official who requested anonymity to disclose proposal details.
The senior official indicated that the initiative aims to support older Americans in aging at home, thereby avoiding the higher costs associated with in-facility care, which can be significantly more expensive on a monthly basis than in-home care. The proposed benefit would encompass various home care services, including in-home health aides.
This proposal is part of a series of campaign commitments from the vice president focused on supporting parents and caregivers, an area identified as a key domestic priority for President Joe Biden. In August, Harris announced her plan to reinstate the expanded child tax credit from the pandemic era and introduce a new $6,000 tax credit for parents of newborns.
Research indicates that over 40 percent of Americans, amounting to more than 105 million people, provide unpaid care to others.
Additionally, Harris will address the so-called sandwich generation during her “The View” appearance. This group consists of approximately a quarter of Americans who are simultaneously raising children and looking after aging parents. According to campaign data, this demographic includes a significant number of undecided voters.
The vice president’s upcoming policy proposal comes at a time when both political candidates are striving to strengthen their appeal to senior citizens. Former President Donald Trump has consistently asserted throughout the 2024 campaign that he will not cut Medicare or Social Security if he is re-elected and has pledged not to raise the retirement age.
To finance the proposed senior home care benefit, Harris intends to expand Medicare drug price negotiations, increase discounts that drug companies are obliged to provide for specific brand-name medications, and address hidden costs tied to pharmacy benefit managers, among other strategies.
Currently, Medicare covers at-home skilled nursing care and home health aides only under particular circumstances, leaving families to bear the financial burden of in-home care independently.
This issue is personal for Harris, as she has shared her experiences of caring for her mother, Shyamala, during her battle with cancer on the campaign trail.
“I remember being there for my mother when she was diagnosed with cancer. Cooking meals for her, taking her to her appointments,” Harris reflected during a recent campaign event in Pittsburgh. “I know caregiving is about dignity.”
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
The vice president plans to propose the establishment of a home care benefit within Medicare, which would help families cover the expenses associated with providing in-home care for seniors rather than opting for nursing facilities, according to a senior campaign official who requested anonymity to disclose proposal details.
The senior official indicated that the initiative aims to support older Americans in aging at home, thereby avoiding the higher costs associated with in-facility care, which can be significantly more expensive on a monthly basis than in-home care. The proposed benefit would encompass various home care services, including in-home health aides.
This proposal is part of a series of campaign commitments from the vice president focused on supporting parents and caregivers, an area identified as a key domestic priority for President Joe Biden. In August, Harris announced her plan to reinstate the expanded child tax credit from the pandemic era and introduce a new $6,000 tax credit for parents of newborns.
Research indicates that over 40 percent of Americans, amounting to more than 105 million people, provide unpaid care to others.
Additionally, Harris will address the so-called sandwich generation during her “The View” appearance. This group consists of approximately a quarter of Americans who are simultaneously raising children and looking after aging parents. According to campaign data, this demographic includes a significant number of undecided voters.
The vice president’s upcoming policy proposal comes at a time when both political candidates are striving to strengthen their appeal to senior citizens. Former President Donald Trump has consistently asserted throughout the 2024 campaign that he will not cut Medicare or Social Security if he is re-elected and has pledged not to raise the retirement age.
To finance the proposed senior home care benefit, Harris intends to expand Medicare drug price negotiations, increase discounts that drug companies are obliged to provide for specific brand-name medications, and address hidden costs tied to pharmacy benefit managers, among other strategies.
Currently, Medicare covers at-home skilled nursing care and home health aides only under particular circumstances, leaving families to bear the financial burden of in-home care independently.
This issue is personal for Harris, as she has shared her experiences of caring for her mother, Shyamala, during her battle with cancer on the campaign trail.
“I remember being there for my mother when she was diagnosed with cancer. Cooking meals for her, taking her to her appointments,” Harris reflected during a recent campaign event in Pittsburgh. “I know caregiving is about dignity.”
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
