Republican legislators are proposing a tax incentive to encourage more Iowans to buy longterm care insurance, and the G-O-P plans to establish a new hotline to help seniors sign-up for low- or no-cost prescription drugs. Representative George Eichhorn, a republican from Stratford, says Iowans will be able to claim up to a 500-dollar tax credit on the money paid for long-term care insurance. Eichhorn says the proposal also helps people protect their assets, so they don’t have to sell their home or business to cover the costs of nursing home care — and those assets can be passed along to their family rather than sold off. Eichhorn says they hope the move encourages more Iowans to buy long-term care insurance. Another proposal from republicans would establish a hotline to help elderly and low-income Iowans sign up for the more than 300 programs that exist already to provide low- or no-cost prescription drugs. Representative Dave Heaton, a republican from Mount Pleasant, says the cost of prescription drugs is one of the major issues facing the state, and there have been discount drug programs available, but most Iowans have not known about them. Republicans also plan to establish a task force to examine ways to improve in-home care. Senator Maggie Tinsman, a republican from Davenport, says now is the time to plan for the glut of Baby Boomers who’ll be reaching the end-stage of their lives.Nineteen percent of Iowans are already over the age of 60, and as Baby Boomers age, that percentage will increase.
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