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People who think about their comfort, especially when old age comes, usually think about long-term care insurance. This is a type of insurance that will help cover healthcare expenses, or a nursing home that takes care of elderly people and provides the comfort that they need.
In the past, long-term care (LTC) insurance was basically the same as Medicare, and it did not provide any necessary skilled care. This old LTC insurance often did not cover expenses except if the care was given in a nursing home.
An improvement of this long-term care insurance has been expanded coverage. This improved insurance also eliminated the need for a 3-day/3-night hospital stay, and then added several discounts (like family discount, spousal discount, etc.). This improved LTC insurance now covered: nursing home care, assisted living care (also known as continuing care), adult day care, home modification, at-home care, group home care (also known as Alzheimer’s care), and respite care.
In planning for long-term care, one should take note that usually, Medicare has LTC coverage for people who are older than 65 years old (only those with Medicare). However, only 5% to 8% of nursing homes in the country are paid for by Medicare.
Unlike Medicare, long-term care insurance does not have limitations as to the type of care or rate given to the elderly patient. This type of insurance bases its coverage on the premiums that the policyholder can afford. An elderly person can just go to a healthcare facility that the LTC insurance covers, without having to give away your assets just so you will be able to pay for the care you are given.
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