Bill Overview
Title: Supporting Our Seniors Act
Description: This bill establishes a commission to investigate and make recommendations on an annual basis about policies to address aspects of long-term care, such as financing options, affordability of services, and caregiver supports. The commission terminates 10 years after the bill's enactment.
Sponsors: Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]
Target Audience
Population: Global elderly population relying on long-term care
Estimated Size: 54000000
- The bill focuses on long-term care, which is directly relevant to the elderly population, particularly those who require such care.
- With the global population aging, a significant and growing number of individuals are seniors who will increasingly need long-term care services.
- The bill specifically targets policies for financing, affordability, and caregiver support, all critical issues in the seniors care sector.
Reasoning
- The Supporting Our Seniors Act primarily impacts the elderly population, particularly those in or approaching long-term care needs.
- We need to consider a varied sample in terms of economic status, current health condition, access to caregivers, and regional differences.
- Some seniors may not be directly impacted, especially those with adequate resources or younger seniors not yet needing long-term care services.
- The budgetary constraints of $10 million in the first year indicate that the policy may initially focus on data gathering and preliminary pilot programs rather than widespread implementation.
- We're projecting the policy's impact over 20 years though the commission ends after 10 years.
Simulated Interviews
Retired teacher (Florida)
Age: 68 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful that this commission will finally address affordability.
- Assistance with caregiver services would be a huge relief.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Retired farmer (Montana)
Age: 72 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We could use more affordable care options, especially living in rural areas.
- Hoping for better financial support without going bankrupt.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Part-time caregiver for children (New York)
Age: 66 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Caregiver support would be a blessing.
- A structured plan could improve my quality of life.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Retired engineer (California)
Age: 83 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've been managing fine on my budget, but I know others who could benefit.
- Curious to see if policy affects facility costs.
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 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Healthcare administrator (Texas)
Age: 59 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Long-term care policies are crucial as I think about retirement.
- I hope the policy provides viable financing solutions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Retired nurse (Ohio)
Age: 85 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm grateful my family helps, but we could use financial respite.
- The policy should consider direct support for families like mine.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Retired automotive worker (Michigan)
Age: 69 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this policy creates better nursing home affordability.
- We are spending most of our savings.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Stay-at-home mother (retired) (North Carolina)
Age: 77 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Expect this policy to help people like me who can't afford all the required care.
- Concerns about outliving my savings.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Part-time consultant (Texas)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 19/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm looking for information than direct benefit right now.
- It’s good to plan ahead with better policy insights.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Retired librarian (Oregon)
Age: 74 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy should speed up processes like Medicaid approval.
- We're left in limbo too long.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $12000000)
Year 2: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $12000000)
Year 3: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $12000000)
Year 5: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $12000000)
Year 10: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $12000000)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The commission's recommendations, while potentially impactful, are not immediate actionable policies and thus have a speculative long-term impact on costs and savings.
- Administrative and operational costs for running a commission for 10 years must be accounted for, but these are generally manageable within federal budgets.
- The bill does not directly fund senior care services or infrastructure; it is focused on advising and researching efficient practices.