Long-term care at home could be covered by an expansion of Medicare, as proposed by Harris.

• On Tuesday, Vice President Harris unveiled a new plan for Medicare to cover the expenses of at-home long-term care.
• According to Tricia Neuman, senior vice president and executive director for Program on Medicare Policy at KFF, it has been a considerable amount of time – over two decades – since a presidential candidate has presented a Medicare plan to assist middle-income families in managing the high cost of home care.

On Tuesday, Vice President Harris unveiled a new plan for Medicare to cover the expenses of at-home long-term care.

Home care could potentially allow millions of seniors and people with disabilities to receive care instead of being in a nursing facility.

In the United States, approximately 14% of the adult population, or over 37 million individuals, offer unpaid eldercare, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of these caregivers, about 59% are women.

Harris's universal in-home care proposal could provide unprecedented relief to Americans who act as caregivers for family members, including those caring for both their aging parents and their children. The vice president highlighted the potential benefits of her plan, which would require congressional action.

"It's almost impossible to do it all, especially if caregivers work, as many are having to leave their jobs, losing a source of income and experiencing emotional stress," Harris said on ABC's "The View."

The Program on Medicare Policy at KFF's senior vice president and executive director, Tricia Neuman, stated that Harris's proposal was groundbreaking.

Since a presidential candidate has not proposed a Medicare plan to assist middle-income families with the high cost of home care in decades, according to Neuman.

Long-term care services at home are not typically covered by Medicare. Instead, Medicaid is the primary source of public support for such care, but families must have a very low income to qualify. Coverage and eligibility for Medicaid vary widely by state.

According to Neuman, many middle-income families are left to bear the cost of caring for their aging parent or grandparent.

The cost of in-home long-term care services is extremely high. According to KFF, the cost of hiring a professional live-in home health aide can exceed $288,000 annually.

The Brookings Institution estimates that Harris's plan could cost approximately $40 billion annually. Harris claims that the funding will come from the savings the government will achieve through its new ability to negotiate drug prices with manufacturers.

Harris stated that we will save Medicare money as we won't be paying the high prices.

During her appearance on "The View," Harris discussed her responsibility for caring for her mother, who was fighting cancer at the time.

Harris shared a personal experience as she deeply cares about something, stating, "My mother, a cancer researcher, passed away in 2009 at the age of 70."

The vice president stated that expanding coverage could not only enhance the well-being of caregivers but also positively impact the lives of elderly individuals.

She emphasized the importance of dignity and independence for that individual.

According to research from AARP, over two-thirds of adults aged 50 and above desire to remain in their homes for an extended period.

Neuman proposed that Harris's policy was a shrewd move to implement during the final stretch of a closely contested presidential race between her and former President Donald Trump.

The issue affects families regardless of political leanings and is therefore resonant with the public, as stated by her.