Health coverage issues for young and old: Broadening access to CHIP; closing the door on CLASS Act

As many states open CHIP programs to provide coverage for children of some state employees, the halting of CLASS Act implementation means consumers must carefully consider their long-term care options.

Kaiser Health News: Children's Health Program Opened To Low-Income State Employees
Kaiser Health News staff writer Sarah Barr, in collaboration with The Washington Post, reports: "At least six states have opened their Children's Health Insurance Programs to the kids of low-income state employees, an option that was prohibited until the passage of the 2010 health law. This relatively small step has as its backdrop years of debate related to CHIP, and to concerns that it encourages states -- and consumers -- to replace private insurance with taxpayer-subsidized coverage" (Barr, 11/7).

The Baltimore Sun: As America Ages, Issue of Long-Term Care Emerges
When the Obama administration recently backed off a long-term insurance program that was part of the law to overhaul health care, we all lost. The so-called CLASS Act, which even supporters acknowledge had design flaws, would have allowed workers to voluntarily buy a long-term care policy regardless of their health. The benefit wasn't huge, but it might have been enough to allow some seniors to remain in their homes. And it was better than nothing -; which is what most people have now. … With Congress so polarized, especially on health care, this most likely will be a can kicked down the road until we reach a crisis (Ambrose, 11/6).