Legislation to Alleviate Administrative Burdens for Family Caregivers

To detail why this is so important, I turn to Doctor Barry J. Jacobs:

“Caregivers, like marathon runners, must learn the lay of the land, find a sustainable pace and accept replenishment along their journey if they have any hope of gamely persevering from start to finish line. With this metaphor in mind, we can say that the family member who accepts this role blindly is akin to the misguided runner in Crocs and jeans with no clue about how far they have to travel. They simply are not equipped to successfully complete the race and are likely to stumble and fall within the first mile.”

Ahead of National Family Caregivers Month, Sens. Markey, Capito Introduce Legislation to Alleviate Administrative Burdens for Family Caregivers, senate.gov, Mass. Senator Edward J. Markey

Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security, and Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) introduced the Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers (ABC) Act, legislation that would require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Social Security Administration (SSA), and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to review their eligibility, processes, procedures, forms, and communications to reduce the administrative burden on family caregivers. 

Family care givers are in trouble. With Fifty-six percent of all family caregivers acting as advocate and coordinate care for their loved one — including appointments, making health care decisions, helping with provider or plan selection, paying bills, and navigating Medicare and Medicaid. Administrative barriers make this more difficult.

At the same time, family caregivers are juggling a multitude of responsibilities including many who also working full- or part-time and caring for children. Seventy-two percent of family caregivers report emotional stress. Sixty percent report they are overwhelmed. Fifty-five percent report they are straining financially..

The ABC Act will reduce red tape for people who help their loved ones navigate care by alleviating administrative barriers within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Social Security Administration.

Simplify the processes, procedures, forms, and communications for family caregivers to assist individuals in establishing eligibility for, enrolling in, and maintaining and utilizing coverage and benefits under the Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and Social Security programs respectively, and for other purposes.

RIL23396 (senate.gov)

Caregivers provide an estimated $600 billion in unpaid labor each year, saving taxpayers billions. Caregivers more than deserve policies helping them save time and money and provide them with more support.

I failed to copy down the constituent who wrote this and I forgot the name!!! As your constituent, I ask that you support the ABC Act for the 48 million people across the country who care for a loved one.