thank you __PUNCT__ thank you all so much __PUNCT__ and i would like to thank becki for be here and for chair the democrat parti in dalla counti __PUNCT__ it wa wonder becki __PUNCT__ thank you so much __PUNCT__
we have a full hous __PUNCT__ some of you know __PUNCT__ we were origin plan to do thi in a slightli smaller set __PUNCT__ so there ar on or two chair left __PUNCT__ but not veri mani __PUNCT__ there ar a coupl up here for peopl stand in the back __PUNCT__
i see three here __PUNCT__ it is not like church where we ar go to call you forward __PUNCT__ we want to try to give you a char to sit in __PUNCT__
i am thrill to be here and there ar a number of peopl who ar with is that i would like to recogn start with my great friend and your former governor and first ladi tom and christi vilsack who ar here __PUNCT__
anoth great friend of mine who ha been activ in iowa and activ on so mani issu in washington for so mani year on your behalf is ruth harkin __PUNCT__ senat tom harkin wife __PUNCT__
i want to welcom the mayor __PUNCT__ mayor peard __PUNCT__ thank you veri much for be here __PUNCT__ i realli appreci you come __PUNCT__ i saw the state senat __PUNCT__ staci appl come in __PUNCT__ thank you so much staci for come __PUNCT__ and in a few minut i go to introduc you to our veri __PUNCT__ veri special guest who will talk about their own experi concern some of the issu that i want to rais todai __PUNCT__
so you will be hear in a moment from pat twerpi __PUNCT__ and mari rose brown __PUNCT__ and i am veri happi thei ar here becaus what thei will talk about ar issu that ar affect senior and their famili __PUNCT__
but i want to start thi morn by ask a few question __PUNCT__ how mani of you ar care for an ag rel or know someon who is __PUNCT__ you can rais your hand __PUNCT__
and how mani of you have everi worri about whether social secur and medicar will still exist when your children and your children and your grandchildren mai need it __PUNCT__
i think everi hand went up on that on how mani of you do not want to be a burden on your children either emotion or financi when you retir or if you have alreadi retir __PUNCT__
yea lot of hand __PUNCT__ my mother is __NUM__ and let me tell you that is how she feel __PUNCT__
now __PUNCT__ i know that behind me we have got __PUNCT__ you know readi to chang __PUNCT__ and readi to lead __PUNCT__
well i think we readi for chang when it come to help take care of our senior but to recogn __PUNCT__ as all of the hand just did __PUNCT__ that we ar not talk onli about issu that effect senior these ar famili issu __PUNCT__
these ar issu that effect all gener togeth __PUNCT__
there realli american issu and we had in the past leader who have call on us as a nation to make smart choic about what need to be done __PUNCT__
yesterdai i wa in dubuqu talk about some of the issu that i think ar import on thi campaign and i mention that it wa __NUM__ year ago yesterdai __PUNCT__ that presid roosevelt sing the social secur act __PUNCT__
and when he sign the social secur act he made it veri clear that it wa just a corner stone in a structur that wa be built __PUNCT__ but wa by no mean complet __PUNCT__
and certainli presid johnson __NUM__ year later knew that we had to do someth in order to help __PUNCT__ senior who didn't have the resourc __PUNCT__ as thei ag to be abl to deal with the health problem that do come __PUNCT__ the older you get __PUNCT__
you know that old stori __PUNCT__ the good new is __PUNCT__ that you wake up in the morn __PUNCT__ and the good new is you know that becaus you hurt everywher __PUNCT__
and so i think everybodi know as we get a littl older __PUNCT__ and thing start to break down a littl and you need some more help __PUNCT__
and so presid johnson recogn that and when he sign the medicar bill __PUNCT__ he said no longer will thi nation refus to hand the justic to those who have given a lifetim of servic __PUNCT__ and wisdom __PUNCT__ and labor __PUNCT__ to the progress of thi progress countri __PUNCT__
well i consid myself a modern progress __PUNCT__
i am proud of all of the progress __PUNCT__ we made as a nation __PUNCT__
but it didn't happen by accid __PUNCT__ i didn't happen by wish for it __PUNCT__ it happen becaus peopl came togeth __PUNCT__ and work to achiev them __PUNCT__
and sometim over great odd __PUNCT__ to reach what we saw as goal for our counti __PUNCT__
well todai we face a new set of challeng __PUNCT__
in part becaus of the veri success of program like social secur and medicar __PUNCT__
the good new is __PUNCT__ we ar live longer __PUNCT__ and we ar live healthier live __PUNCT__
but we still have to figur out __PUNCT__ how we ar go to get our system to catch up __PUNCT__ with what is the realiti of life todai __PUNCT__
long term cost alreadi consum __NUM__ percent of what we spent on medicaid __PUNCT__ and is estim by __NUM__ that go to grow by more than __NUM__ percent __PUNCT__
the averag cost of a privat room in a nurs home todai is more than __NUM__ dollar a year __PUNCT__
the averag hourli rate for home health aid ha gone up __NUM__ percent over thi past year __PUNCT__
medicar also face signific financi challeng thei ar driven by the spiral cost of health care __PUNCT__
and unfortun we ar not address ani of these issu and plan for the futur __PUNCT__
our current presid hasn't call on us to make a nation commit to save social secur and medicar and in fact he tri to privat social secur and instead of focus on medicar he ha given tax cut to billionair and contract to compani like halliburton and hi answer to the prescript drug need of our senior is a plan that take a phd in bureaucraci to figur out and as you hear in a minut __PUNCT__ it is not work for a lot of peopl __PUNCT__ medicar part d __PUNCT__
now thi is all consist with how thi presid see our countri __PUNCT__
he want to leav everyth up to the individu __PUNCT__
he believ in the __PUNCT__ you on your own __PUNCT__ societi __PUNCT__
and if you look at you on your own and you take the first letter __PUNCT__ that the yo __PUNCT__ yo societi __PUNCT__
__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ describ the up and down __PUNCT__ well i think it time that we talk about and confront a lot of these issu becaus for too mani peopl __PUNCT__ it like thei invis to the presid __PUNCT__ we don't see what happen in the live of peopl here in iowa __PUNCT__ and across the countri from thi white hous __PUNCT__ and i think that outrag becaus so mani peopl have work hard their entir live and thei realiz thei cant afford to retir __PUNCT__
i wa in la vega two dai ago __PUNCT__ and i wa in a super market __PUNCT__ and i wa shake hand with everybodi work in the super market __PUNCT__ and i met a man __PUNCT__ and he look to be elderli __PUNCT__
he look to be probabl in hi __NUM__ __PUNCT__ but ha had a staff badg on __PUNCT__ so i greet him __PUNCT__ and i said __PUNCT__ ar you work here __PUNCT__ he said __PUNCT__ i have to __PUNCT__ i don't have enough monei for my wife and me to live on __PUNCT__
so what do thei have you do __PUNCT__ he said __PUNCT__ well you know i kind of help around and greet peopl and try to guid peopl to where thei need to go but i don't know what i would do if thei didn't give me a job __PUNCT__
in hi __NUM__ if you a senior who ha dilig paid your long term care insur premium for year __PUNCT__ onli to have the insur compani turn around and deni you benefit becaus of some technic buri in the fine print of your polici __PUNCT__ well you invis to __PUNCT__
and if you ar a mother or father try to rais your children and care for your ag rel you at your wit end try to juggl it all __PUNCT__
and you ar invis as well __PUNCT__
and if you ar that grandmoth or grandfath struggl to make end meet and heartsick at the thought of burden your children and your grandchildren __PUNCT__ it turn out you ar invis as well __PUNCT__
well i want you to know that you ar not invis to me __PUNCT__
and you certainli ar not go to be invis to the next presid of the unit state __PUNCT__
becaus when we take back the white hous __PUNCT__ we ar go to start see our fellow american again __PUNCT__
__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ i have a veri differ vision of our countri __PUNCT__ it more in line with franklin roosevelt __PUNCT__ harri truman and lyndon johnson __PUNCT__ than georg w __PUNCT__ bush __PUNCT__
becaus i reject the idea of a __PUNCT__ on your own __PUNCT__ societi __PUNCT__ the yo __PUNCT__ yo societi __PUNCT__ i think it is far better if it a we __PUNCT__ all in thi togeth societi __PUNCT__ where we help each other __PUNCT__
you know __PUNCT__ i wrote a book call it take a villag to rais a child __PUNCT__ well it also take a villag to care for your ag rel __PUNCT__
you need these peopl to be there for you __PUNCT__ to back you up __PUNCT__
to provid some respit care and we go to try and creat support for peopl to do the most import work ani of us will ever do and that take care of each other __PUNCT__
whether it our children __PUNCT__ or our parent __PUNCT__ or our spous __PUNCT__
i don't think long term care is a burden __PUNCT__ i think it is a fundament oblig __PUNCT__
and i think if we work hard togeth __PUNCT__ we can get polici that will help us all do what we should do as member of famili __PUNCT__
first __PUNCT__ when i am presid __PUNCT__ i am go to take immedi step __PUNCT__ to address the grow problem of fraud and abus commit against our senior __PUNCT__
and i am go to start with the long term care market __PUNCT__
you know in recent year __PUNCT__ million of american have done what thei thought wa the right thing __PUNCT__
thei have done out and thei have purchas long term care insur polici __PUNCT__ thei see the add on tv __PUNCT__ thei get the phone call at home __PUNCT__ you know __PUNCT__ thei ar talk for their neighbor __PUNCT__ mayb a church somewher peopl ar sai __PUNCT__ we got to prepar for the futur __PUNCT__ so guess what __PUNCT__ million of american have done that __PUNCT__ includ __NUM__ right here in iowa __PUNCT__
and thei though thei were be respons __PUNCT__ that if thei ever need long term care __PUNCT__ it wa paid for __PUNCT__
onli to find out when thei actual need the coverag the compani deni it for no good reason __PUNCT__
or thei increas the premium __PUNCT__ or thei withheld payment for month and even though peopl have been pai the premium for year __PUNCT__ thei were stuck with the bill __PUNCT__
now the bill can run into __NUM__ of thousand of dollar pretti quick __PUNCT__
and mani of you probabl read the heartbreak seri in the de moin regist over the last week or two and it describ what the mean for famili here in iowa __PUNCT__
well __PUNCT__ i becam concern about thi __PUNCT__ and back in march i wrote a letter to the govern account offic demand an investig into these practic __PUNCT__ what wa go on __PUNCT__
becaus i wa start to hear these long term care polici ar kind of new so it onli now that peopl ar realli start to try and collect on them and get the help that thei need from them __PUNCT__
so in my offic in new york __PUNCT__ and peopl around the countri ar start to hear these stori and i want to know what is realli gong on __PUNCT__
now as presid __PUNCT__ i will requir all insur compani that benefit from feder tax advantag or that want to market their product __PUNCT__ through the feder employe __PUNCT__ health benefit plan __PUNCT__ which is all of them __PUNCT__ thei go to have to meet new consum protect standard __PUNCT__
that will be the fastest wai to begin to regul thi market __PUNCT__ becaus the feder employe __PUNCT__ health benefit program cover __NUM__ million feder employe to compet for the busi __PUNCT__
so if thei want to compet for the feder employe busi __PUNCT__ as well as mari rose or pat busi __PUNCT__ thei ar go to have to meet standard that will protect against fraud and abus __PUNCT__
thei go to have to disclos their averag rate increas over the past __NUM__ year so that senior know which compani inflat their price __PUNCT__
we ar go to put all of that in an easili access format __PUNCT__ so that peopl can get the inform thei need befor thei make a choic __PUNCT__
we go to requir that thei put all of their fine print into easi to understand english __PUNCT__
peopl ar go to be abl to read it __PUNCT__ know exactli what it sai __PUNCT__ and what thei ar purchas __PUNCT__
no more hide behind __PUNCT__ loophol and trap that thei spring on senior when the senior need the help __PUNCT__
we ar go to requir that insur offer inflat protect __PUNCT__ becaus mani senior don't realiz that a nurs home facil that cost __NUM__ dollar a dai in __NUM__ could cost __NUM__ dollar a dai in __NUM__ year __PUNCT__
so we have to protect against the cost go up and let senior know what thei ar bui when thei actual give that check over __PUNCT__
in addit __PUNCT__ i will requir that compani be more care in set their rate in the first place __PUNCT__
so thei will be less like to hit senior with balloon premium later __PUNCT__
if a compani decid it want to increas premium __PUNCT__ thei ar go to have to put a larger share of their increas into pai claim instead of build up their profit __PUNCT__
and i will requir insur to sit down with potenti buyer and assess whether long term care coverag is realli right for them __PUNCT__ becaus medicaid alreadi cover long term care for low incom american __PUNCT__
i don't think it right that some compani ar trick custom into bui doubl coverag which thei do not need __PUNCT__
and the wai i see it __PUNCT__ i don't think anybodi should have to worri about some claus buri in __NUM__ page of fine print __PUNCT__
or have some insur compani make them feel that thei go to be secur __PUNCT__ and when affect what thei ar do is just pull the wool over their ey __PUNCT__
and we ar go to put an end to that __PUNCT__
we ar go to chang the regul we ar go to forc them and then when senior do have to move into assist live or long term care facil we want to do everyth we can to protect them from abus and neglect __PUNCT__
you know __PUNCT__ there ar thousand of profession and paraprofession who ar provid excel care for our senior everi singl dai __PUNCT__
but sadli __PUNCT__ senior abus case ar on the rise __PUNCT__
thei jump __NUM__ percent in the last __NUM__ year __PUNCT__
i co __PUNCT__ sponsor legisl call the patient safeti and abus prevent act __PUNCT__
we need a nation wide system of crimin background check not onli for long term care worker __PUNCT__ but home health care worker as well __PUNCT__
when someon come into your home __PUNCT__ you need to have confid that that person will not hurt you __PUNCT__ or rob you __PUNCT__ or in some other wai take advantag of you __PUNCT__
but you know elderli fraud and abus __PUNCT__ isn't limit to long term care __PUNCT__ or home health care __PUNCT__
for mani of our senior __PUNCT__ it on the other end of their telephon line __PUNCT__
todai __PUNCT__ __NUM__ percent of the victim of telemarket fraud ar over __NUM__ __PUNCT__
fraudster prai on senior __PUNCT__ offer prize and sweepstak __PUNCT__ and lotteri that lure peopl __PUNCT__ into a web of decept __PUNCT__
i have seen thing in what happen in the mortgag market __PUNCT__
a lot of senior were talk into take out home equiti loan allegedli at low interest __PUNCT__ and the interest wa rais on them __PUNCT__
and there ar senior across our countri that ar in danger of lose the home that thei have purchas had paid off __PUNCT__ until thei bought into a home equiti scam __PUNCT__
so it not onli on long __PUNCT__ term care __PUNCT__ we have got to send out the alarm __PUNCT__ senior should be extrem care in bui anyth somebodi tri to sell you __PUNCT__ over the telephon __PUNCT__
and onc someon ha respond to ani of these scam __PUNCT__ their person inform is often ad to a so __PUNCT__ call __PUNCT__ sucker list __PUNCT__ which is sold to other fraudster __PUNCT__ make them prime target for ident theft as well __PUNCT__
that why i propos we give senior and other victim __PUNCT__ the right to sue compani that misus their person data to perpetu fraud __PUNCT__
i also think __PUNCT__ we need to have a center for telecommun record privaci __PUNCT__ becaus we got to stai ahead of the fraudster __PUNCT__ thei ar a step ahead of us __PUNCT__
you know __PUNCT__ it start with peopl call from i think nigeria or somewher year ago __PUNCT__ sai that if you just sent me monei __PUNCT__ somebodi will be save from a terribl persecut and it gotten much more sophist than that __PUNCT__ so we need peopl to be up to date about what is go on and we need on person in the govern in charg of develop a coordin strategi to protect person phone record __PUNCT__
and year ago __PUNCT__ about __NUM__ year ago i think __PUNCT__ i propos legisl that you could not export peopl privat inform unless thei agre to it __PUNCT__
becaus you know what happen with all these call station __PUNCT__ and other thing that ar go on in foreign countri __PUNCT__ thei have no law protect privaci so we got to get smarter about how we ar go to protect privaci and particularli protect our senior second __PUNCT__ when i am presid we ar go to offer a renew commit to social secur __PUNCT__
we have fought the presid on hi ill advis scheme to privat social secur __PUNCT__ that wa a terribl idea __PUNCT__ and thankfulli we beat him back and we ar not go to have to face that __PUNCT__
but the problem is that the presid ha two big prioriti __PUNCT__ tax cut for the wealthiest american and the iraq war __PUNCT__ and he hasn't paid for either on of them __PUNCT__
he ha put them on the giant credit card __PUNCT__
__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ and where ha he gotten the monei for tax cut for the wealthi and the iraq war __PUNCT__ two sourc __PUNCT__ borrow from the social secur trust fund __PUNCT__ and borrow from foreign countri like china __PUNCT__
we have got to get back to fiscal respons and shore up the social secur trust fund __PUNCT__
when my husband left offic in __NUM__ becaus we had a balanc budget with a surplu __PUNCT__ the social secur trust fund wa total solvent and safe until __NUM__ __PUNCT__
six and a half year later with georg bush reckless fiscal polici __PUNCT__ it lost __NUM__ year __PUNCT__ it down to __NUM__ __PUNCT__
so we have to get back to fiscal respons and us those surplus to shore up the social secur trust fund __PUNCT__ and i will do that __PUNCT__
third we have got to get senior a real prescript drug benefit that is truli there whenev thei need it __PUNCT__
right now __PUNCT__ american senior pai __NUM__ to __NUM__ percent more for the veri same drug that senior in europ and canada pai __PUNCT__
and some pai hundr __PUNCT__ some even pai thousand of dollar a month for their medic __PUNCT__
i did not vote for the medicar part d plan __PUNCT__
becaus i thought it wa a plan for drug compani and not a plan for our senior __PUNCT__
__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ and we ar go to work __PUNCT__ to reform and chang that plan __PUNCT__
we go to let our senior through medicar negoti for lower price with these drug compani __PUNCT__ someth that the bush administr ha forbidden __PUNCT__ now thi make no sens at all __PUNCT__ why wouldn't you want to negoti for a lower price if you were realli on the side of senior __PUNCT__
you on the side of drug compani __PUNCT__ you don't want to negoti for a lower price __PUNCT__ well we go to do that __PUNCT__
we ar also go to keep our fight up to allow the re __PUNCT__ import of american drug back from canada so peopl can by them safe __PUNCT__
__PUNCT__ applaus __PUNCT__ as a lot of peopl have done over the year over the year __PUNCT__
and i know __PUNCT__ i bet there ar peopl __PUNCT__ we ar go to hear from them in a minut __PUNCT__ from mari rose __PUNCT__ i bet there ar more peopl here who have fallen into the so call doughnut hole under part d of the prescript drug benefit __PUNCT__
you know __PUNCT__ you spend more than __NUM__ dollar and get no help until you spend more than __NUM__ dollar __PUNCT__ that just doesn't make ani sens at all __PUNCT__ and we ar go to hear a veri specif exampl of that __PUNCT__
fourth __PUNCT__ here an issu i care deepli about that nobodi ever talk much about and that is we have to support the grow number of grandpar who ar rais children __PUNCT__
you know it not an issu you hear much about __PUNCT__ is it __PUNCT__
but believ it or not four and a half million american children ar live in grandpar head household __PUNCT__
nearli __NUM__ of them here in iowa __PUNCT__
mani of these grandpar __PUNCT__ and it is mostli grandmoth __PUNCT__ find themselv in a veri unexpect posit __PUNCT__
thei ar live on fix incom __PUNCT__ thei ar not as strong and healthi as thei us to be and all of a sudden thei have to figur our school enrol form and health care and keep up with small children again __PUNCT__
i have been work on smooth i call the kinship caregiv support act __PUNCT__ it bipartisan __PUNCT__ i introduc it sever year ago to give more help to grandpar who ar rais children later in life __PUNCT__
program like the muscatin commun y here in iowa provid support group here in iowa provid support group and counsel and educ seminar and recreat activ __PUNCT__
i help to start a hous complex in new york citi for grandpar rais children so thei can be safe togeth __PUNCT__
thei didn't want to life in apart where there were peopl thei did not want to trust with their grandchildren so it all grandpar rais children and thei support each other __PUNCT__
we have to start think about how we ar go to do more of that __PUNCT__
and final as presid i will continu the work i start in the senat to help senior keep their independ and live in their won home and commun __PUNCT__
the work start with our caregiv __PUNCT__
the on who ar juggl the need of sometim grow children and ag parent __PUNCT__
and mayb have to work full time as well __PUNCT__
and if everybodi who is give care stop todai it would cost __NUM__ billion dollar to replac __PUNCT__ cut off __PUNCT__ thi is not onli the right thing to do __PUNCT__ thi is an econom servic be done to care for peopl who cannot total care for themselv __PUNCT__
but just becaus famili care give is unpaid doe not mean it doesn't cost __PUNCT__
and obvious it veri reward and import but it can be exhaust and expens __PUNCT__
and i wa proud to final pass legisl i introduc call the lifespan respit act __PUNCT__ to give temporari relief to those care for their love on __PUNCT__
__PUNCT__ cut off __PUNCT__ i also think we should consid tax credit for individu and caregiv __PUNCT__ tax deduct for long term care insur __PUNCT__
and now there is a new phenomenon where peopl ar band togeth themselv to help bui servic that thei will need in order from them to stai in their own home __PUNCT__
so i am veri hope that we can realli focu __PUNCT__ cut off __PUNCT__ on the issu that senior talk to me about __PUNCT__
you know my __NUM__ year old mother who ha alwai been veri independ __PUNCT__ after my father di in __NUM__ she did not want to give up her home __PUNCT__ she didn't want to move in with ani of her children __PUNCT__ so she held on as long as she could __PUNCT__
but it got to be difficult drive and that what realli convinc her that she could no longer live on her own becaus she couldn't see well at night to drive and see need __PUNCT__ cut off __PUNCT__
