This article presents an overview of current public and private financing mechanisms for long-term care and support services (LTCSS) with an analysis of their deficiencies. It then summarizes recent efforts at the federal level to establish an adequate financing mechanism to improve the availability of LTCSS for persons with functional impairments. Current federal regulatory and legislative LTCSS proposals are then analyzed, with particular attention to the provisions in the Clinton administration's health care reform plan. The article closes with a brief discussion of the political factors affecting the probability of new LTCSS financing in the next few years.