Grassley Bill: Now for the Carrot.

Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) has sponsored a bill (S. 627) to allow individuals a federal income tax deduction for payment of qualified long-term care insurance premiums, provision of such insurance under various workplace plans and allowing a $3,000 tax credit for individuals with long-term care needs. Entitled the Long-Term Care and Retirement Security Act of 2001, the measure was unsuccessfully pushed by Grassley in the last Congress. Grassleyis significantly more powerful now on tax and longterm care issues than he was before the 2000 election. To be sure, last year he was quite vocal on long-term care--particularly on his displeasure with HCFA survey enforcement and nursing home quality of care--when he served as chairman of the Senate's Special Committee on Aging--but that panel has no legislative power. As chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, Grassley is in charge of shepherding his own bill to the Senate floor. The House version of the bill has the backing of Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT) , who has enhanced her influence on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax and Medicare legislation; she chairs the panel's Subcommittee on Health.