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The
number of elderly Americans and their proportion of the nation's
population are growing, and Americans who reach age 65 are living
longer.
Long Term Care
What is Long-Term Care?
Long-term care is a variety of services that includes medical
and non-medical care to people who have a chronic illness or
disability. Long-term care helps meet health or personal needs. Most
long-term care is to assist people with support services such as
activities of daily living like dressing, bathing, and using the
bathroom. Long-term care can be provided at home, in the community,
in assisted living or in nursing homes. It is important to remember
that you may need long-term care at any age.
You may never need long-term care. This year, about nine million
men and women over the age of 65 will need long-term care. By 2020,
12 million older Americans will need long-term care. Most will be
cared for at home; family and friends are the sole caregivers for 70
percent of the elderly. A study by the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services says that people who reach age 65 will likely have a
40 percent chance of entering a nursing home. About 10 percent of
the people who enter a nursing home will stay there five years or
more.
Medicare and Long-Term Care:
While there are a
variety of ways to pay for long-term care, it is important to
think ahead about how you will fund the care you get. Generally,
Medicare doesn’t pay for long-term care. Medicare pays only for
medically necessary skilled nursing facility or home health care.
However, you must meet certain conditions for Medicare to pay for
these types of care. Most long-term care is to assist people with
support services such as activities of daily living like dressing,
bathing, and using the bathroom. Medicare doesn’t pay for this
type of care called "custodial care". Custodial care
(non-skilled care) is care that helps you with activities of daily
living. It may also include care that most people do for themselves,
for example, diabetes monitoring. Some Medicare Advantage Plans
(formerly Medicare + Choice) may offer limited skilled nursing
facility and home care (skilled care) coverage if the care is
medically necessary. You may have to pay some of the costs. For more
information about Medicare Advantage Plans, look at the
Medicare Personal Plan Finder.
Medicaid and Long-Term Care:
Medicaid is a State and Federal Government program that pays for
certain health services and nursing home care for older people with
low incomes and limited assets. In most states, Medicaid also pays
for some long-term care services at home and in the community. Who
is eligible and what services are covered vary from state to state.
Most often, eligibility is based on your income and personal
resources.
Choosing Long-Term Care:
Choosing long-term care is an important decision. Planning for
long-term care requires you to think about possible future health
care needs. It is important to look at all of your choices. You will
have more control over decisions and be able to stay independent. It
is important to think about long-term care before you may need care
or before a crisis occurs. Even if you plan ahead, making long-term
care decisions can be hard.
Financial/Estate Planner-
This is what I Do for a Living.
What does this mean?
I help people plan their estates so that it is
beneficial to them.
I live in California (1 in 8 Americans live in California)
Some people find this hard to believe but our governments need
money.
Those who don't plan properly are paying WAY more than their "Fair"
share.
My Credentials
Estate Planning
Probate Avoidance
Tax Planning
Real-Estate #01505735
Investments#2447141(crd non active)
Insurance#0D94317
Notary#1561305
Reverse Mortgage#01505735
Explore my site and learn my perspective-
I am Honored- *note* I am not an attorney
and none of this can be construes as legal advise. consult proper
legal council |