PRINTER'S NO. 1469
No. 114 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY HOLL, COSTA, MURPHY, TOMLINSON, SALVATORE,
HELFRICK, O'PAKE, WENGER, KASUNIC, LEMMOND, SCHWARTZ, DENT,
HART, MELLOW, WHITE AND BOSCOLA, NOVEMBER 8, 1999
REFERRED TO INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, NOVEMBER 8, 1999
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing Congress to repeal a statutory impediment to state
2 long-term care partnerships.
3 WHEREAS, Costs borne by the taxpayers of this Commonwealth
4 for long-term care under Medicaid exceed more than $500 million
5 for a fiscal year; and
6 WHEREAS, Skyrocketing costs of providing care to persons who
7 need assistance to meet daily needs have hit the middle class
8 especially hard. The national average cost for nursing home care
9 is $38,000 per year and is significantly higher in metropolitan
10 areas, such as Philadelphia, where the annual cost is
11 approximately $50,000; and
12 WHEREAS, Costs to the Commonwealth will increase on account
13 of increased demands for services as our population ages and the
14 post-World War II generation approaches retirement age; and
15 WHEREAS, A Pennsylvania solution, allowing middle-class
16 Pennsylvanians to exempt Medicaid eligibility assets used to
17 purchase private sector long-term care insurance that would
1 reduce the eventual costs borne by taxpayers for their care is
2 stymied by section 1902(r)(2) of the Social Security Act (49
3 Stat. 620, 42 U.S.C. § 1396a (r)(2)), which prohibits shielding
4 of assets expended to purchase long-term care insurance;
5 therefore be it
6 RESOLVED, That the Senate of Pennsylvania memorialize the
7 Congress of the United States to enact legislation repealing
8 section 1902(r)(2) of the Social Security Act (49 Stat. 620, 42
9 U.S.C. § 1396a (r)(2)); and be it further
10 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
11 the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
12 member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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