2011
- Status: Introduced in the House on 4/6/2011 by Representatives Edward Markey (D-MA) and Chris Smith (R-NJ). Health Outcomes, Planning and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimer’s Act has 81 cosponsors, and it has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee. Introduced in the Senate on 4/6/2011 by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Susan Collins (R-ME). It has 14 cosponsors, and it was referred to the Senate Committee on Finance.
- The bill would amend Medicare to cover comprehensive Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia diagnosis and services. This includes required follow-up care planning for patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, along with their caregivers, to discuss medical options, as well as available supports, services and other information for family caregivers.
- The National Alliance for Caregiving supports this bill because it recognizes the importance of care planning for people with dementia and their caregivers, as well as the key role family caregivers play in an Alzheimer’s patient’s care. The bill allows caregivers to attend the follow-up care planning meeting without the patient in attendance if that is the best situation for the patient and caregiver.
- Status: Introduced in the House on 8/5/2011 by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA). It has 17 cosponsors, and it was referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
- The bill would make grants to public and nonprofit health care providers to expand training and support services for families and caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Eligible grant recipients include health care organizations, community health centers, nursing homes, senior centers, Area Agencies on Aging, community-based organizations, and State, local and tribal health agencies and social service agencies.
- The National Alliance for Caregiving supports this bill because health care providers are often the first place caregivers turn for information and support. In a survey of Alzheimer’s caregivers, 70% reported that they first went to a physician for more information when they suspected their loved one had Alzheimer’s or dementia. The more equipped health care providers are to provide, not only medical information about the disease, but training and support to family caregivers, the better prepared caregivers will be to provide quality care to those suffering from Alzheimer’s and other dementia.
- Status: Introduced in the Senate on 5/17/2011 by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). It has no cosponsors, and it was referred to the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. A hearing on this and other bills pending before the Committee was held on 6/8/2011. For more information on the hearing, visit: http://veterans.senate.gov/hearings.cfm?action=release.display&release_id=ab373435-90f8-4759-8b6f-ca24b78a4e02
- The bill would increase the amount of assistance authorized for disabled veterans who are temporarily living with a family member: from $14,000 to $28,000 in cases where a home with special features must be acquired; and from $2,000 to $5,000 in cases where the current residence can be adapted.
- The National Alliance for Caregiving supports this bill because the financial burden on caregiving families – particularly caregivers of veterans, who tend to be younger than other caregivers – can be huge. According to a national study of veterans’ caregivers, half (50%) feel a high degree of financial hardship, compared to just 13% of caregivers nationally. Given that 80% of veteran care recipients live with their caregivers, this financial assistance for housing and home modification would greatly benefit veterans and their caregiving families. For more information, see Caregivers of Veterans – Serving on the Homefront.
- Status: Introduced in the Senate on 1/25/2011 by Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). It has no cosponsors, and it was referred to the Senate Committee on Armed Services.
- The bill would establish an annual award known as the Military Family-Friendly Employer Award, to be handed out by the Department of Defense, for employers who have developed workplace flexibility policies and practices to assist working spouses and caregivers of members of the Armed Services who are deployed away from home and upon their return from deployment.
- The National Alliance for Caregiving supports this bill because caregivers of veterans very often experience an impact on their employment situation – often resulting in a loss of wages – due to their caregiving. It is imperative that employers grant flexibility to these employees if they are to remain in the workforce and able to support their families. In a survey of veterans’ caregivers, of those who were employed at some point during their caregiving, six in ten (62%) reported cutting back the number of hours they worked and nearly half (47%) said they eventually stopped working or took early retirement. Fewer than one in ten veterans’ caregivers reported neither of those impacts. Recognizing employers who go above and beyond to support caregivers could encourage others to do the same. For more information, see Caregivers of Veterans – Serving on the Homefront.
- Status: Introduced in the House on 4/8/2011 by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY). It has 9 cosponsors, and it was referred to the House Education and Workforce Committee, Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and House Administration Committee.
- The bill would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to employers with 25 or more employees (currently covers employers with 50 or more employees). Furthermore, in expanding the law to cover many parental activities, the bill would also allow FMLA to cover employees who need intermittent leave to attend to the care needs of an elderly relative, including visits to a nursing home.
- The National Alliance for Caregiving supports this bill because working caregivers often struggle to balance their work responsibilities with their caregiving responsibilities, and having more flexibility to do so makes them better workers and better caregivers. In a survey of working caregivers, nearly all reported some informal adjustments to their work schedule due to caregiving, whether it was making calls at work or having to come in late or leave early. A full two-thirds (67%) of respondents reported taking time off during the day to tend to caregiving needs, something this bill would help address.
- Status: Introduced in the House on 6/24/2011 by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY). It has 27 cosponsors, and it was referred to the House Education and Workforce Committee, Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and House Administration Committee. It was introduced in the Senate on 6/28/2011 by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). It has 11 cosponsors, and it was referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
- The bill wouldexpand the Family and Medical Leave Act to provide employees leave to care for a domestic partner or his or her child, parent-in-law, adult child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, son-in-law, or daughter-in-law, if such a person has a serious health condition. Currently, the law only covers caregiving for a spouse, child or parent.
- The National Alliance for Caregiving supports this billbecause caregiving situations take many different forms, and the current law severely restricts those who have access to protected leave from work in order to care for a loved one. While the vast majority of caregivers (86%) are caring for a family member, nearly one-third (32%) of caregivers are caring for a relative other than a spouse, parent or child. It is important that families have the flexibility to make caregiving decisions that are best for them, without having to worry that someone could lose their job.
- Status: Introduced in the House on 6/22/2011 by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY). There are no cosponsors, and it was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- The bill would grant Social Security credit to a family caregiver for each month during which the individual was engaged for at least 80 hours in providing care to a dependent relative without monetary compensation for up to five years of such service.
- The National Alliance for Caregiving supports this bill because family caregivers who leave the workforce to care for an aging parent or other sick relative lose thousands of dollars in lost wages, often risking their own financial security now and in the future. For women over 50 years, the cost impact of leaving the workforce to care for a parent averages $324,044 per person in lost wages and retirement benefits; of which $131,351 is lost Social Security benefits. For men caregivers, the total loss averages $283,716, of which $144,609 is lost Social Security benefits. This bill acknowledges that caregiving is valuable work, and it helps restore some financial security for caregivers heading into retirement.
