Praised for health care leadership, expanding home care

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Department State House Boston, MA 02133 (617) 725-4000 MITT ROMNEY GOVERNOR KERRY HEALEY LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 16, 2006 CONTACT: Eric Fehrnstrom Felix Browne (617) 725-4025 ROMNEY ACCEPTS THE CLAUDE D. PEPPER AWARD Praised for health care leadership, expanding home care Governor Mitt Romney today accepted the Claude D. Pepper Award from the National Association of Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), the nation's oldest trade group representing home care agencies and hospice organizations, for his leadership on health care and in expanding home care options for seniors. "America faces a tidal wave of retiring Baby Boomers and a national health care system ill prepared to deal with this sweeping generational change," said NAHC President Val J. Halamandaris.  "Luckily, we do have leaders with vision among us, including Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.  Governor Romney has seen the future and, through his outstanding leadership, helped lift the health care burden for many, both in his state and across the nation.  He exemplifies caring and compassion in his approach to health care, and NAHC is pleased to honor him with our highest award." Named for the late Democratic Congressman Claude D. Pepper of Florida, the award honors the one individual in the public or private sector who has done the most over the past year to improve the quality of life for aged, infirm or disabled Americans.  Romney said he was honored to receive the award and credited the Legislature for working with him in a bipartisan fashion to make progress in health care. "Medical science is advancing across frontiers that would have seemed like science fiction not so long ago. It's finally time for our health care policies to catch up," said Romney. In April, 2006, Romney signed first-in-the-nation legislation to provide health insurance to all Massachusetts citizens using a private, market-based reform that emphasizes personal responsibility – without raising taxes, and without requiring a government takeover. Romney also made it easier for seniors to age in their own homes when in August, 2006 he signed the "Equal Choices" bill, which makes it possible for people eligible for long-term care through the state Medicaid program to receive medical services in the least restrictive and most appropriate setting.                   ###