Head of the
CLASS
Advance CLASS Inc.’s Connie Garner on how the
CLASS Act should work once implemented
By Bryan Ochalla
Among the many objectives of the
Assisted Living Federation of America
(ALFA) is to help educate elected officials at all levels, representatives of
national and state organizations, and
other groups about the latest issues
facing the senior living business and
the residents ALFA members serve.
Throughout the year, ALFA staff,
members, and advocates meet with
legislators as well as others who work
in fields related to senior living to
share ideas and strategies that can
enhance resident-focused care and
quality of life for the nation’s seniors.
Each issue of Assisted Living
Executive features an exclusive interview with an elected official or other
person of influence about senior living
trends, news, and issues. The views
expressed by those interviewed by the
magazine do not necessarily reflect
those of ALFA or its members.
eigHt yeARs Ago, sen. ed WARd “ted” kennedy puzzLed oveR tHe fAct HAt “AmeRicAns WHo become functionALLy Limited HAve to be significAntLy disAbLed, pooR, And eLigibLe foR medicAid in oRdeR
to get tHe seRvices And suppoRt tHey need,” sAys connie gARneR, cuRRent
executive diRectoR foR AdvAnce cLAss inc. And foRmeR poLicy diRectoR, dis-AbiLity And speciAL popuLAtions, to tHe u.s. senAte committee on HeALtH,
educAtion, LAboR, And pensions.
The result of the late Senator’s interest
in the issue is the Community Living Assistance Services and Support Act, otherwise known as the CLASS Act, a federally
administered, consumer-financed insurance plan that became law when President Obama signed the Patient Protection
and Affordable Care Act last March.
That was an important day for senior
living providers, not to mention resi-
dents and their families. The CLASS
Act provides those who participate in
the plan with cash that can be used,
should they become functionally lim-
ited, to pay for needed assistance “in a
place they call home.”
In an exclusive interview with Assist-
ed Living Executive, Garner talks about
how the CLASS Act should work once
it’s fully implemented and how it may
affect assisted living providers. She also
addresses some of the concerns that
have been raised about the program.
