The Basics

Update (December 20, 2011) — The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to publish a final rule designating the CLASS Benefit Plan by October 1, 2012. Subsequent to passage of the law, HHS conducted an analysis of possible CLASS implementation options consistent with the statutory requirements that the program be actuarially solvent over the next 75 years and self-funded. After a 19-month period of analysis, HHS officials stated in testimony before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on October 26, 2011, that the Department has “not identified a way to make CLASS sustainable, legal and attractive to potential buyers…” and therefore ”decided not to move forward with CLASS at this time….” (HHS testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, October 26, 2011.)

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, P.L. 111-148, enacted March 23, 2010) established the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program, a new federally administered voluntary insurance program to help adults age 18 and over with disabilities pay for long-term services and supports (LTSS). This publication describes the major provisions of the CLASS Act legislation, including requirements for enrollment and eligibility, benefits and services, premium amounts, the CLASS Act trust fund, and timelines.