Bill Overview
Title: SENIOR Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to assisted living facilities for health care expenses and lost revenue attributable to COVID-19 and other purposes. It also addresses matters related to the senior caregiver workforce. To receive a grant, an assisted living facility must demonstrate that it had uncompensated losses due to COVID-19 and consistently maintained operations from March 13, 2020, to December 31, 2020. A facility must also certify that the grant is necessary for its ongoing operations. HHS must also award grants to assisted living facilities for broadband connectivity and telehealth support and other operation and maintenance costs. The Government Accountability Office must report on the efficacy of these grants. With respect to the senior caregiver workforce, the bill authorizes grants for assisted living facilities to establish or expand workforce training and recruitment programs. The National Health Care Workforce Commission must also designate the workforce needs of assisted living and other senior care populations as a high priority area and report on those needs.
Sponsors: Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3]
Target Audience
Population: individuals aged 65 and older
Estimated Size: 56000000
- The bill targets assisted living facilities, which primarily serve elderly individuals.
- It aims to address healthcare expenses and lost revenues for these facilities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- By supporting operations and infrastructure like broadband for telehealth, the bill indirectly impacts the residents of these facilities.
- The bill also focuses on the senior caregiver workforce, which consists of individuals trained to care for elderly populations.
Reasoning
- The funding of $1.2 billion in the first year and $7.35 billion over 10 years must be distributed among assisted living facilities across the U.S., so it may not reach all facilities equally or individuals directly.
- Among the estimated 56 million Americans aged 65 and older, the policy directly targets those in assisted living facilities, likely a smaller subset.
- The policy's funding also targets caregiver training, potentially impacting the job market and quality of care indirectly for seniors.
- The interviews reflect a mix of residents in facilities, caregivers, and professionals indirectly affected by the policy.
- Each interview provides a different perspective on the policy's effects, illustrating the broad and varied impacts of such a targeted measure.
Simulated Interviews
Retired Teacher (Miami, Florida)
Age: 82 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy could improve the quality of care in my facility.
- Telehealth advancements would make accessing specialists easier.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Senior Caregiver (Cleveland, Ohio)
Age: 46 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy will provide more support to caregivers like me.
- Better training opportunities could help me advance my career.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Retired Engineer (Austin, Texas)
Age: 78 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policy sounds beneficial for those in assisted living, but I'm not directly affected yet.
- I value the idea of enhanced telehealth options.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Part-time consultant (Boston, Massachusetts)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could enhance my working environment here.
- Improvements in internet access and healthcare are crucial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Assisted Living Facility Manager (Seattle, Washington)
Age: 43 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This funding is critical to keep our facility operational.
- Staffing has been a major challenge since the pandemic.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Retired Nurse (Phoenix, Arizona)
Age: 75 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Good initiative for those in assisted living, but not directly relevant to me.
- I support the push for better healthcare staffing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Healthcare Policy Analyst (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 48 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy might enhance operational efficiency in senior care facilities.
- We need to assess long-term impacts on senior care quality.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired Accountant (New York, New York)
Age: 90 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this policy leads to better support and staff availability.
- Telehealth services should help with my regular consultations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 2 |
Retired Social Worker (Atlanta, Georgia)
Age: 72 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy strengthens the infrastructure for when we might need to move.
- I hope caregiver resources improve so my spouse gets the best care.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Telemedicine Specialist (Denver, Colorado)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could drive demand for telehealth services, boosting my work.
- I support efforts to improve senior digital connectivity.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1200000000 (Low: $1000000000, High: $1400000000)
Year 2: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Year 3: $800000000 (Low: $700000000, High: $1000000000)
Year 5: $700000000 (Low: $600000000, High: $900000000)
Year 10: $500000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $700000000)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The immediate cost of implementing broadband and telehealth is significant but necessary given the pandemic context.
- Long-term savings on healthcare costs may be realized through better infrastructure and trained workforce, though these are indirect effects.
- The policy primarily supports an essential service for the elderly population, which is a growing demographic in the U.S.