Kamala Harris is proposing an expansion of Medicare, aiming to benefit older Americans by providing federal funding to cover home care costs. Her plan is expected to support the “sandwich generation”—adults caring for aging parents while also raising their children.
During her appearance on ABC’s ‘The View’ on Tuesday, Harris reflected on caring for her mother during her final days, a personal experience that made her aware of the financial and emotional strain families face when seeking affordable in-home care for their loved ones. Drawing from this, she pledged to expand Medicare, the federal health insurance program for seniors, to cover long-term care, including services like in-home aides.
Harris emphasized that aides could assist seniors with tasks as simple as meal preparation or dressing, saying, “It’s about dignity and independence for that individual.”
This proposal comes just one month before the 2024 election and marks a shift from President Joe Biden’s previous efforts. The Biden administration, as part of its Build Back Better agenda, had pushed for increased federal spending on child care and elder care, but the legislative effort stalled. Harris’ proposal aligns with the administration’s ongoing focus on what it calls the “care economy,” a cause she continues to champion as the Democratic presidential nominee.
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“These plans are common sense,” said the Harris campaign in a fact sheet outlining the proposal. “They help family caregivers work, save families and the federal government money, and allow seniors to remain in their homes instead of nursing homes. Medicare at Home will also reduce hospitalizations.”
In a recent wave of media interviews, Harris discussed her plan with radio host Howard Stern, who shared that his 97-year-old mother’s care costs were overwhelming, saying, “Taking care of an elderly parent will bankrupt you.”
To implement her plan, Harris is expected to work with Congress, with her campaign citing past proposals with an estimated annual cost of $40 billion. The campaign argues that these costs can be offset through savings from Medicare’s enhanced ability to negotiate drug prices, an initiative started under Biden’s administration.
Harris also aims to expand Medicare further by including hearing and vision coverage and changing rules that currently allow federal authorities to seize a deceased beneficiary’s home to recover costs. According to her campaign, this practice “prevents homes from being passed down to seniors’ children, disproportionately impacting rural and minority families.”
