OLYMPIA, Wash. — With Washingtonians aging rapidly, how will the state provide long-term care? Many groups believe the bipartisan legislation known as the Long-Term Care Trust Act is one solution.
The novel program would provide long-term care insurance through a payroll deduction of about 0.5 percent. Those funds would then be able to fully cover the average cost for in-home care for one year.
Sarita Gupta, co-director of the group Caring Across Generations, said this legislation would be especially helpful for Washington's 830,000 family caregivers taking care of their Baby Boomer parents.
"They're living much longer than ever before - about 20 years longer than when our safety net was put into place,” Gupta said. “So, we need more supports around elder care, and a lot of the financial burden is actually falling on families."
Gupta said it's important to note that Medicare does not cover long-term care.
On Wednesday, the House Committee on Health Care and Wellness held a public hearing on House Bill 2533. Today, the Senate Committee on Health and Long Term Care is holding a public hearing on its companion bill.
University of Hawaii political science professor Lawrence Nitz is in Olympia supporting the bills. Last year, Hawaii passed similar legislation to provide funds for working caregivers.
Nitz said this type of legislation is crucial, not only to keep down health care costs for state budgets, but also because it allows family caregivers to keep working.
"Every time we have someone leave the labor force unnecessarily, when a little bit of money could have kept them there, this is a loss to the economy,” Nitz said. “We lose their whole wage, and that adds up very quickly."
Nitz said long-term care insurance from the private sector typically benefits the wealthy because they are the only ones able to afford it over a long period of time.
Gupta said if the country doesn't seize the opportunity to get ahead of this issue and build a long-term care infrastructure, many families could be heading toward a financial cliff.
"We'll have millions of families who will be struggling and juggling to meet their care needs, and many who will fall through the cracks,” Gupta said. “And so, the urgency is now, the opportunity is now before it reaches that level of crisis."
The legislation is receiving support from a broad range of groups, including the state chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, Casa Latina and the caregivers' union SEIU 775.
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A diagnosis of diabetes increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and even death.
The School of Public Health at Indiana University-Indianapolis is close to completing a project to improve the health of three neighborhoods. The Diabetes Impact Project works in the Northeast, near Northwest, and Near West neighborhoods in Indianapolis, where rates of diabetes are almost double other parts of Marion County.
Lisa Staten, associate professor of community and global health at the university, said the project's three-tier approach involves community health workers assisting people with diabetes in managing their diet and glucose monitoring, while also addressing their social needs.
"The community health workers work with them to understand, is there a food security issue? Are there challenges with housing?" Staten explained. "We also have neighborhood community health workers that are located in these three parts of the city, to help raise awareness about diabetes prevention and diabetes risk."
The third tier, which Staten described as the most direct, is made up of steering committees, funding projects to improve physical activity infrastructure and healthy food access, address mental health concerns and build social connections. According to the Indiana Department of Health, about 12% of Hoosiers are diabetic.
The $12 million eight-year program is a partnership with the Fairbanks School of Public Health, Eli Lilly and Company, Eskenazi Health and the Marion County Health Department. One component was to have a federally qualified health center located in each of the areas for more community-based involvement.
Staten pointed out diverse neighborhood input was sought prior to the project's funding.
"We approached community residents and asked what they wanted to see in it," Staten recounted. "They said they don't want a one-year project. 'We don't want you to come in and take our data and go. It needs to be a long-term commitment.' And we listened to that and incorporated all that into it."
Despite the pandemic, which happened during the project, Staten added the researchers were able to continue their work. The findings will be published in academic journals and public forums for the community to see its impact.
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A North Carolina woman is speaking out about the importance of the Affordable Care Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.
DonnaMarie Woodson, who battled cancer during the 2008 recession when her husband lost his job, credits the Affordable Care Act for providing vital health insurance for her family. Enrolling in the federal program allowed Woodson to undergo regular screenings, leading to the early detection of colon and breast cancer.
Now, Woodson is urging lawmakers to protect important health care programs.
"The Affordable Care Act literally saved my life," Woodson asserted. "Because I would not have gone to get screened because of medical debt."
She pointed out the Inflation Reduction Act has also had a profound effect on her family, particularly in managing her husband's Type 1 diabetes. She said the measure's insulin cap helped reduce the cost of his medicine from $200 to $35. It has made a significant difference for their fixed income household.
According to Tufts University, the Affordable Care Act has been challenged in court more than 2,000 times. The Inflation Reduction Act has also met its
fair share of pushback and votes to repeal different provisions in the law.
Woodson argued if the programs are not protected, it could pose severe risks to people across the country.
"People's lives are at stake. People will die," Woodson stressed. "That is a plain fact without health care, quality affordable care, not just in your care but quality affordable care. People need that and it's a right."
Today, Woodson's story extends beyond her personal experiences. She actively works with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network to lobby for health care rights, emphasizing the necessity of maintaining and expanding health care programs. She encouraged others to share their own experiences in their communities and make their voices heard by local leaders.
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In rural Tennessee, many residents lack access to healthy, fresh, and affordable food. So, two health center systems in the state are sprouting solutions - with community garden programs.
Aura Sheran - a certified clinical medical assistant with East Tennessee State University's Johnson City Community Health Center - said the garden connects patients, the community, and volunteers - which fosters a collaborative effort to address food insecurity and promote healthier choices.
"We serve a lot of the community, that don't have enough funds to purchase produce and that kind of thing, food wise," said Sheran. "So, it helps them to cut some of that cost back, and to take some produce home and share with their family."
Community health centers serve more than 423,000 patients across Tennessee, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.
Nicole Vanover is a phlebotomist with Ballad Health who provides lab services to the ETSU clinic.
She said community partners - like the Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development Council, which runs a food access program - help to provide resources, and vendors provide funding and equipment.
"Tractor Supply - both the Johnson City Tractor Supply and the Jonesborough Tractor Supply store - each donated about $150 to $200 worth of products," said Vanover. "That was soil, fertilizer, tomato cages, things like that."
She added that the garden flourishes with the support of volunteer ETSU students who help maintain it, and clear the beds at the end of each growing season.
Cherokee Health Systems maintains legacy gardens at its Alcoa, Maynardville, and New Tazewell health centers.
Ginny Weatherstone, community development consultant with Cherokee, said the gardens serve as community spaces where patients can interact.
And they honor the memory of former CEO - Dr. Dennis Freeman, who had a passion for gardening from his Iowa farm upbringing.
"Growing things was something that he did growing up, and it was always near and dear to his heart," said Weatherstone. "He got sidetracked there, leading a rather large organization for over 40 years, and always in the back of his mind had the idea of community gardens that would serve our patients."
Weatherstone pointed out that participants also learn about gardening in Cherokee Health Systems' psychiatric day-treatment program.
So, the garden serves a dual purpose - providing fresh fruits and vegetables for patients, and helping people with mental illness learn how to cope.
"We really do believe that these gardens are an important part of the day treatment program. They are scheduled now into the the daily activity, the list of things that are going to be done," said Weatherstone. "There is nothing like a bowl of fresh strawberries to just really make somebody feel good about what they've been able to accomplish."
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