The health care delivery system reform legislation unveiled Wednesday by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., includes provisions that would allow cafeteria plans to offer tax-qualified long term care insurance.
The provisions are part of the Senator's "America's Healthy Future Act," which the Senate Finance Committee will start debating Tuesday. Baucus is chairman of the panel.
The addition of LTC insurance to tax-qualified employer plans has been a long-term priority of the LTC industry.
"Finally, some meaningful progress in the effort to make long term care insurance more accessible and attractive to millions of younger, middle income Americans," Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance, said of the provision. "This is the most positive step we've seen in some time and hopefully it won't get lost in the great health reform debate."