In his column in the Concord Monitor on Tuesday, Sen. Judd Gregg referred to the Senate health care reform bill as a "disaster." He complained about partisanship and lamented that, "It would take Sherlock Holmes armed with the latest GPS technology and a pack of bloodhounds to find "reform" in the latest version of the health care bill."

That is colorful commentary, but it is not accurate. The Senate bill includes many reforms that will lay the foundation for the needed overhaul of our broken health care system. One such reform: supporting the long-term care needs of people with disabilities and seniors.

The Senate bill contains a provision called the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act, which creates a voluntary, government-administered long-term care insurance program that all workers may choose to contribute to. After making contributions through payroll deduction for five years or longer, individuals who develop conditions that limit two or more activities of daily living may use these funds to purchase services that allow them to continue living in the community rather than in an institution.

Why do we need a government-administered long-term care insurance program when there are already many private long-term care insurance plans available? For "healthy" applicants a private policy will allow them to get assistance without impoverishing themselves. But people who already have a disabling condition or a condition that could progress into one will have their application for a private long-term care policy denied. If they need assistance with activities of daily living, they are forced to impoverish themselves in order to qualify for Medicaid, the only insurer that will cover their needs.

The CLASS Act recognizes the unfairness of this situation and offers the one in five folks who have or will have a disability to work and save money with the security of knowing that help will be available to allow them to remain independent in their communities.

This past summer Gregg supported the CLASS Act. While discussing his amendment to ensure the long-term solvency of the CLASS Program, he said, "I'm pleased the HELP Committee has unanimously accepted this amendment. The program keeps people off Medicaid, out of institutions and saves the federal government dollars as people can rely on these funds for a long period of time living where they want to live."

Now Gregg has reversed his position, railing against the CLASS Act on the Senate floor and even supporting a failed attempt to remove it from the Senate health care bill. Asked about his change of heart, his press secretary said, "Senator Gregg agrees with the need to provide improved support and services for those with long-term care needs. However, the latest version of the health care bill was written by the majority leader in a totally partisan process behind closed doors and raids the funds paid into the CLASS Act to pay for another brand new entitlement - the Democrats' 2,074-page, $2.5 trillion health care bill."

Gregg's assertion that money paid into the CLASS Act would be spent on other programs is false. In fact, in order to guarantee that does not happen, the Senate voted to ensure that funds collected would only be used to pay out benefits under the plan and not be used to cover other government obligations.

The more likely reason for Gregg's change of heart on the CLASS Act, and the Senate bill in general, is that rather than exercising New Hampshire independence he has decided to join his Republican colleagues in the Senate who will vote against any type of health care reform. In so doing he is siding with the insurance industry, which opposes this provision, rather than with his constituents who really need it.

Sen. Gregg, health care reform is needed and the CLASS Program will help New Hampshire residents prepare for their long-term care needs. Please do not stand in the way. It is time to move beyond partisan politics and fix America's broken health care system. (next page »)