Max Cleland: “in support of the need for an initiative to help address the growing long-term care needs of Americans, I am pleased to…”

“in support of the need for an initiative to help address the growing long-term care needs of Americans, I am pleased to introduce the Federal Civilian and Uniformed Services Long- Term Care Insurance Act of 1999 in the Senate. The Administration proposed a plan to offer long-term health care insurance to federal civilian employees. Under my bill, the administration's proposal is expanded to include federal civilian and uniformed services employees, as well as foreign service employees. This non-subsidized, quality private long-term care insurance option can then be offered at an affordable group rate. It is anticipated that 300,000 Federal employees and 200,000 uniformed services employees would voluntarily participate in such a long-term insurance plan. With such participation, the Federal government could truly serve as the model for employers for long-term care insurance. The bill would make the following groups eligible for the long-term care insurance: Civilian employees after continuously working for the federal government for 6 months, Foreign Service employees, civilian annuitants upon retirement, members of the Armed Services, retired members of the Armed Services, and designated relatives, like parents and parents-in-laws.”