Advocates rush to defend health law's endangered CLASS Act

Long-term-care advocates lost no time rushing to the defense of the healthcare reform law's endangered CLASS Act after the House set up a vote to repeal it next week.

The AFL-CIO and Alliance for Retired Americans wrote to House lawmakers on Tuesday urging them to keep the voluntary payroll-deduction program alive. 

Anticipating Republican criticism that the program is unworkable, the groups say lawmakers should fix it instead of destroying it.

"Last year, the administration suspended its implementation after it was determined that the law, as written, would produce unaffordable premiums," says the letter from the 4 million-member Alliance for Retired Americans. "Nonetheless, the Obama administration does not support its repeal, nor do we. We believe that statutory changes to the program can be made to make the law work as intended."

The AFL-CIO makes the same argument.

"Repealing the CLASS program would do nothing to address the glaring need for adequate coverage of long-term services and supports," the union's letter says. "We look forward to working together with you and the administration to establish an improved approach to ensure that average Americans can access these services without facing bankruptcy."

Connie Garner, a former health aide to the late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) who is now leading efforts to build private-sector support for the program, adds that advocates are now turning their attention to the Senate, which holds the program's future in its hands since the Republican-led House will almost certainly vote for repeal.

"Getting organized for any activity in the Senate on this," she said via email. "We are not giving up."

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