As Valentine's Day nears, many of us harken back to wedding vows that pledged loyalty and care through richer and poorer, and in sickness and health. Today, tens of millions of Americans live out that commitment every day, caring for a disabled or chronically sick loved one.

As politicians in Washington, D.C., set out to reshape the nation’s health system, they’re largely ducking a huge challenge: How will we care for each other when we’re sick, debilitated, and old? And how will we care for the caregivers?