Russ Feingold: “I rise today to briefly continue my series of statements commenting on the President's health care reform package and…”

“I rise today to briefly continue my series of statements commenting on the President's health care reform package and specifically the long-term care reform portions that are in that package. As I had a chance to say in earlier statements, long-term care reform is essential if we are to realize the goals of overall health care reform. That to me means establishing consumer-oriented and consumer-directed flexible benefits, as well as making fundamental reforms to the linkages that should exist between long-term care and acute-care systems. Central to this whole effort is creating a new system of community and home-based, flexible services that, again, respond to individual consumer choice and preference. That should start from the initial assessment of the person right on through to ongoing services. It should involve case managers and others who are regularly consulting with the consumer and family members to be sure that the needs of the individual consumer are met in a satisfying manner; that the consumer's needs are met first rather than the provider's. This is exactly what I think President Clinton has proposed to do in his health care plan.”