- Many people incorrectly think or assume that Medicare will cover their Long Term Care needs. However Medicare does NOT cover Long Term Care. The Affordable Care Act does NOT cover Long Term Care either. While state Medicaid programs do cover long-term care, these benefits are available only to those with very low income.
- Although Medicare may cover acute illnesses that require doctors’ visits and hospital stays, people are often unprepared to meet the expenses of long term chronic illness that are not covered by Medicare. These expenses can pose one of the greatest threats to their personal wealth.
- People are living longer nowadays, which is wonderful on one hand. However, the longer people live, the more likely there are to need long term care such as: long term care nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or in-home care providers.
- 70% of people age 65 and over will need long-term care during their lifetime!
Women, because of their longer life spans, are 50% more likely than men to enter a nursing home at some point after age 65. - One big myth about Long Term Care is that it affects senior citizens only. However the need for Long Term Care can happen at any age. Nearly 40% of people using Long Term Care services are under the age of 65! Strokes, diabetes, car accidents, ladder falls, and other chronic conditions are just some of the major causes that require Long Term Care among younger populations.
- Long Term Care is expensive, especially without planning ahead with some sort of Long Term Care coverage! (When difficult decisions have to be made about healthcare, family members may also not be fully apprised of what someone’s wishes are under those circumstances. Addressing all of these issues ahead of time not only provides financial protection, it can also eliminate unnecessary emotional burdens.)
- Many people are concerned that traditional long term care insurance policies are a “use it or lose it” type of insurance because they often assume money invested in premiums will be forever lost if they do not need long term care. Another big concern of many people is that their long term care insurance premiums will increase in the future. However, new types of long term care policies can eliminate “use it or lose it,” and also keep premiums level throughout their entire policy term. By combining life and long term care insurance, these hybrid policies provide coverage for long term care. However if that coverage isn’t ever needed, then the policyowner can get some or all of his or her premium back or provide protection for family members with life insurance.
Contact me at (941) 404-5334 to discuss your long term care options and/or get you started on the right track of getting yourself insured.