Harris pitches Medicare home care coverage: 3 notes

Vice President Kamala Harris has proposed expanding Medicare coverage for home healthcare, NPR reported Oct. 8. 

Ms. Harris explained the details of her proposal on daytime talk show The View, campaign aides told NPR. 

Here are 3 things to know about the proposal: 

  1. The benefit would cover the cost of in-home health aides and other home services, according to Politico. Medicare usually does not cover intermittent skilled nursing care at home, or long term in-home care. 
  2. Ms. Harris's campaign did not provide specific estimates for how much the proposal would cost, the New York Times reported. The proposal would be partially paid for by expanding Medicare drug price negotiations, the campaign said. 
  3. The policy is designed to appeal to the "sandwich generation," NPR reported, adults who care for both aging parents and children. More than 40% of Americans provide unpaid caregiving, according to NPR. 

In an Oct. 8 news release, Donald Trump's campaign said the former president's platform includes a commitment to at-home care. 

"Specifically, President Trump will prioritize home care benefits by shifting resources back to at-home senior care, overturning disincentives that lead to care worker shortages, and supporting unpaid family caregivers through tax credits and reduced red tape," the campaign said. 

Read more here. 

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