(Washington, DC)–US Representative Sue Myrick (NC-09) voted today to repeal an unworkable component of the health care law known as the Community Living Assistance Services and Support (CLASS) program.

The CLASS program is a voluntary program that would provide $50 a day, or $18,250 a year, for long-term care to those who have paid premiums for at least five years. However, the health care law would allow coverage to be purchased for as little as $5 month, or only $300 over five years.

It was estimated that premiums collected prior to the start of CLASS payouts would total $80 billion, a figure that was then touted as an offset to the cost of the health care law.

In October 2011, the Administration conceded that the program would be financially impossible to implement. Rick Foster, chief actuary for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has said that more than 230 million people – more than entire US workforce – would need to participate in the CLASS program for it to be sustainable.

“Speaker Pelosi told us that we’d have to pass the health care law to find out what’s in it. Well, over the course of the past year, we’ve found out, and it’s not good. I’m glad that the House has taken the responsible action of repealing this program and can now work toward necessary reforms to long-term care that don’t cost American taxpayers billions of dollars,” Rep. Myrick said.

The Fiscal Responsibility and Retirement Security Act, HR 1173, passed in the House by a vote of 267-159. It will be sent to the Senate for further consideration.

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