ACA Facts: The Community Living Assistance, Services and Supports (CLASS) Act

December 15, 2012

The Community Living Assistance, Services and Supports (CLASS) Act

Title VIII of the ACA creates a new national long-term care insurance program, the Community Living Assistance, Services and Supports (CLASS) Act, to help adults who have, or develop, functional impairments to remain independent, employed, and engaged in their community. It creates a national, voluntary insurance program designed to help participants pay for their long-term services and supports needs. While CLASS benefits may not cover the cost of all long-term care needs, they will help those who can continue to work to do so, thus allowing people with disabilities to maintain functional lives in their homes and communities and preventing or delaying the need for institutional care. Unfortunately, although the program was supposed to begin in 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services suspended its implementation due to concerns over the program's design and long-term fiscal sustainability. AUCD and the disability community continue to try to find ways to work with Congress and the administration to make the minor changes needed to ensure that CLASS is effective. More information on CLASS including how it relates to Medicaid can be found here.