WASHINGTON _ Joe Biden on Monday previewed his plans to build a "caring economy," saying he will make it easier for elderly Medicaid recipients to receive care at home.
Biden is expected to offer more details on his proposals regarding education and care for the aging and disabled at an event Tuesday in Delaware. The proposals are the third of four parts of his "Build Back Better" economic plan, which also includes measures on manufacturing, clean energy and infrastructure, and racial justice.
The Democratic nominee told guests at a virtual fundraiser that there were 800,000 people who face a five-year wait to receive care at home or in their neighborhoods instead of at nursing homes. His plan would allow states to accept federal money to clear their waiting lists.
Biden did not offer more details or say how much the program would cost, but said a pilot program "found that $3,000 in program costs yielded more than $20,000 in savings."
The former vice president said the program, which has been run in eight states and 13 cities, sends a nurse, a social worker and a carpenter to retrofit the homes of aging people for their safety.
Children of elderly parents "might not be able to cure their mother's Alzheimer's but they can make sure she doesn't break her hip. Walk through the house and install handrails in the right spots in the bathroom or fix the doors so she doesn't get stuck when she tries to open it," he said.
The Monday fundraiser for 17 high-dollar donors was hosted by Blackstone Group President and Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Gray and his wife Mindy.
Biden defended his broader economic plan _ which includes a push for more well-paying union jobs _ telling the group, "I hope I don't offend any of you by that but I really think it is totally consistent with a market economy and moving forward."
