Burlison sponsoring bill to create tax deduction for long-term healthcare

Legislation in the U.S. House would create a federal income tax deduction for private long-term healthcare. 

It’s sponsored by southwest Missouri Congressman Eric Burlison. 

He says long-term care insurance is a crucial need for older Americans:

“The last part of someone’s life, the last few months, they will use up probably, I think the estimate is north of 70% of all of the money that they will spend on their health care will be done in the last few months of life, and oftentimes it’s in a nursing home situation.”

Burlison says many Americans don’t buy long-term care insurance because they rely on Medicare and Medicaid covering the costs. 

He told Newstalk KZRG that his bill would encourage people to be more “self-reliant” instead of leaning on the federal government.