1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

I want you to know that 10 million Medicare beneficiaries need assistance with daily living. I want you to know that the cost to our country and to families of providing that care is over $1 trillion every year. Many cannot afford to hire help for bathing or basic assistance even for a few hours a week. It is a cost effective way to keep people in their homes in familiar surroundings. Now a bill in Congress, The Medicare At Home Act, H.R. 10020) and its companion senate bill (S. 5270) can provide some part time help for seniors who so desperately need help with daily living tasks. The cost is small and has no effect on the federal budget since it will be paid for by a modest Medicare Part B premium addition. Look, the real answer to our healthcare problems is Universal Healthcare, like H.R. 3069, but until you pass that, I want you to go rad the Medicare At Home Act and then stand up and help seniors by passing it.