Long-term-care tax advocates getting miffed

By Kevin Dayton
Advertiser Capitol Bureau Chief

First lady Vicky Cayetano and other supporters of a proposed tax to pay for long-term care have accused critics of insulting advocates of the new tax.

Proponents of the tax said Senate Republicans have called the effort a "hoax" and a "scam," labels that supporters called unfair.

Advocates of a new long-term care financing system have been working on the problem for more than a decade, and calling the effort a hoax is insulting, said George Honjiyo, chairman of the Coalition for Affordable Long-Term Care.

The first lady, who is the most prominent advocate of the program, said, "Unfortunately there are some legislators more than others who try to politicize it, and that is a disappointment because I think that we should all be out there doing the business of the people, especially our elected officials."

Senate Minority Floor Leader Fred Hemmings countered that "I don't know how else to term it other than it is a hoax."

"This is especially onerous because it takes some very scared and vulnerable people who need cost-effective care, and leads them to believe that they're going to get it as soon as the plan is in effect, and they won't," said Hemmings, D-25th (Kailua, Waimanalo). "The fine print includes the fact that you've got to be in the plan for 10 years before you get full benefits."

Bills that have won preliminary approval in the House and Senate would impose a statewide tax of $10 per person per month to finance up to $75 per day for long-term-care benefits that would last up to a year. Such a tax would raise about $89 million in 2004, with 5 percent increase in the tax each year to allow for 2009 collections of $114 million.

Correction: In commenting on the proposed tax to pay for long-term care, Senate Minority Floor Leader Fred Hemmings said: "The fine print includes the fact that you've got to be in the plan for 10 years before you get full benefits." A previous version of this story was incorrect.