ALBANY, N.Y., March 2 – Legislation that would authorize the creation of a 19-member task force to develop a plan for the provision and financing of universal long-term care insurance for all elderly New Yorkers has been introduced into the Senate and Assembly.

The task force would analyze current long-term care insurance offerings in the state, determine how the use of individual taxpayer contributions may be used, fund the purchase of long-term care insurance for all residents and develop the benefits and mechanisms necessary for providing long-term care insurance for all New Yorkers.

The director of the State Office for the Aging would serve as the chairperson of the task force, which would meet at least once every two months and at the call of the chairperson. In addition, the task force would issue four reports including an initial six month report, two interim reports, and, within 24 months of its initial meeting, a final report to the governor and legislative leaders. Three public hearings would also be required, related to the issue of providing and financing long-term care insurance for all New York residents. The members of the task force would not receive any compensation for their services except for any expenses they would incur during their duties.

The age 65-plus population is expected to more than double between the years 2000 and 2030 to number almost 70 million nationally, said Assembly sponsor Steven Englebright (D-Suffolk). Sixty percent of those who reach age 65 will need some form of long-term care. In comparison to the states total population increase of five and one half percent between the years 1990 and 2000, the number of individuals age 85 and older increased by 25 and one half percent and is the fastest growing segment of our population.

Dynamic changes in the states population will continue to increase as the baby boom generation reaches age 60 and continues to mature, Englebright continued. As one would anticipate from these shifts in demographics, the need for affordable long-term care services is growing and is expected to accelerate at a dramatic rate.

In New York State, the average yearly cost of a nursing home can range from $70,000 to $115,000, according to Senate sponsor Ruben Diaz Sr. (D-Bronx). Twenty-four hour home health care can cost more than twice this much. Many New Yorkers are unable to afford the high cost of long-term care insurance and rely on Medicaid in order to pay for the costs of home health or nursing home care.

New York State has an obligation to promote the general welfare of its citizens by enabling them to access the long-term care they will need in their old age without having to impoverish themselves, continued Diaz. Thereby, this bill would create a task force to develop a plan for establishing a system of mandatory long-term care insurance for all New Yorkers. This approach, premised on the principal of universal coverage in exchange for universal responsibility, would ensure that every resident receives the protection of long-term care insurance in his or her old age.