Suozzi Hosts WISH Conference in Washington to Confront Nation’s Long-Term Care Crisis

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Washington, D.C. - April 7, 2025 - Today, Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-NY) convened a first-of-its-kind WISH Conference in Washington, D.C., to discuss his bipartisan legislation, the Well-Being Insurance for Seniors to be at Home (WISH) Act, being introduced with Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI). Today's conference brought together over 100 healthcare experts, insurers, elder advocates, caregiver organizations and policymakers from across the aisle to address America's looming long-term care crisis.

"There's a storm coming. Every day, 10,000 Americans turn 65, and in five years, 6,500 Americans will reach 80 every single day," said Rep. Suozzi. Our nursing homes and Medicaid system cannot deal with this. We don't have enough nursing home beds, we can't afford it, and seniors would prefer to age at home."

The WISH Act would create a public-private partnership to establish a federal catastrophic long-term care insurance program, designed to help disabled seniors age with dignity in their own homes-while reinvigorating the private long-term care insurance market.

Ramsey Alwin, the President & CEO of the National Council on Aging said, "I applaud the Congressman for convening experts who recognize that passing the bipartisan WISH Act is critical to ensuring every American has access to affordable services and supports at home as they age."

Suozzi added, "When I was growing up, all four of my grandparents lived in our home. Three of them were very sick. My mother was a nurse, and we all helped to take care of them. Everyone has a personal story with a grandparent or a family member who needs help as they age. The WISH Act is a bipartisan, common-sense plan to give people the care they deserve and the peace of mind they need."

The legislation would establish a monthly federal benefit for Americans who become disabled in old age, after a 1- to 5-year elimination period based on income. During that time, individuals would be expected to rely on private insurance or personal resources. The goal is twofold: provide catastrophic coverage for those with the greatest need and create new incentives for private insurers to offer affordable long-term care products.

Representative Moolenaar (R-MI) emphasized the importance of WISH. "What I like about the WISH Act is that it really tries to engage a lot of stakeholders. To me, that's a win-win because we want to make sure our seniors are getting the best care possible. We want to make sure people don't have to choose between poverty and losing all their life savings and they can't qualify for different care. We want to make sure that individuals who don't have families who can take care of them have a place and can be provided for," said Rep. Moolenaar. "This really is common sense, it's bipartisan, it's something that encourages people to do the right thing."

The conference featured remarks from major stakeholders and thought leaders in the field, including:

• Ramsey Alwin, President & CEO of the National Council on Aging: "Today, I was honored to join Congressman Suozzi at his WISH Act Conference to spotlight our nation's long-term care crisis. With 11,000 individuals turning 65 each day this year and for the next several, the time for action is now. I applaud the Congressman for convening experts who recognize that passing the bipartisan WISH Act is critical to ensuring every American has access to affordable services and supports at home as they age. Congressman Moolenaar's co-sponsorship reinforces that aging does not follow party lines and long-term care affects everyone."
  
• Dr. Joanne Lynn, Eldercare Advocate, Professor, and Author: "I am caught between fury and despair. What we face as we grow older is going to get so much worse. We can't stand by and do nothing while millions of us face homelessness, hunger, and poverty in our old age. We must do better, and enacting Congressman Suozzi's WISH Act is one of the most important things we can do. It will make it possible for most Americans to cover their own costs in old age! I was honored to speak at Congressman Suozzi's conference today to educate key stakeholders on this essential legislation."
  
• Tom McInerney, President & CEO, Genworth Financial: "I'm grateful to Rep. Suozzi for convening today's important discussion on the future of long-term care financing in the U.S. At Genworth and CareScout, we've seen firsthand the financial strain families face when care needs arise. The WISH Act offers a thoughtful, public-private approach that acknowledges both the growing demand for care and the need for practical, scalable solutions. We're proud to be part of this conversation and committed to helping drive lasting reform."

Support for the WISH Act continues to grow. Endorsers include the National Council on Aging, the American College of Physicians, American Geriatrics Society, and National Alliance for Caregiving, Genworth Financial.

"This conference was just the beginning," Suozzi said. "We're going to keep building this coalition-Democrats and Republicans, providers and insurers, advocates and patients. We can't afford to wait until this becomes a full-blown catastrophe. Let's act now."

For more information on the WISH Act, visit suozzi.house.gov/WISH.