“Could Medical Procedures Transmit Alzheimer’s?,” by Karen Weintraub, Scientific American “The seeds of Alzheimer’s disease may have been transmitted along with human growth hormone into eight British patients treated decades ago, according to a study published Thursday in Nature. If supported by further research, the findings imply Alzheimer’s could potentially be transmitted via close contact with the brain tissue of someone who has the disease. That does not mean Alzheimer’s is contagious, researchers are quick to note. These eight patients all received doses of human growth hormone from the pituitary glands of numerous cadavers—a very unusual transmission route.” LTC Comment
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“2019 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards,” Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services “NEW MEDICAID/MEDICARE NUMBERS: For all the raw numbers as reported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), go to 2019 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards. See Social Security, Medicare announce key 2019 numbers for the 2018 and 2019 LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): We’ve just updated the Medicaid and Medicare Key Numbers in The Zone for 2019. One highlight: Medicaid’s home equity exemption has increased to $585,000 or $878,000 depending on your state. For access to The Zone, you’ll
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“Reverse Mortgages Seen By Advisors As Option Of Last Resort,” by George Yacik, Financial Advisor “Another area where several financial advisors believe reverse mortgages can play a role is in financing in-home health care or long-term care insurance.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Effective January 1, 2019, Medicaid’s home equity exemption rises to between $585,000 and $878,000 depending on the state. When that incentive to ignore long-term care planning goes away as it inevitably will, reverse mortgages for LTC financing and insurance will become a first, not a last resort.  
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“Senior Living vs. Home Care: Consumer Preferences May Be Changing,” by Tim Regan, Senior Housing News “Home care is often seen as senior housing’s biggest competitor, as surveys routinely find a strong preference among older adults to age in place. But the tide might be slowly turning, with assisted living and continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) becoming more attractive options. … The results showed that equal proportions (roughly 3 in 10) of older adults saw assisted living or continuing care retirement communities (CCRC)s, care at own home with family help, and care at home with paid help as the best
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“Growth in Medicare Advantage Spending Far Outpaces Traditional Medicare,” by Alex Spanko, Skilled Nursing News “The growth in overall spending on nursing homes in the United States slowed for the second consecutive year in 2017, according to the latest analysis from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) — while Medicare Advantage spending skyrocketed. All payers spent $166.3 billion at nursing care facilities and continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) last year, up from $163.0 billion in 2016. That works out to spending growth of 2.0%, down from last year’s gain of 3.1%. … The rise of Medicare Advantage has
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“U.S. healthcare spending growth slows for second year in a row,” Reuters “Healthcare spending growth in the United States slowed for the second year in a row in 2017, mainly due to slower spending growth for hospital care, physician and clinical services as well as retail prescription drugs, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): National health expenditure data for 2017 covering nursing facilities and home health care were just released. We’ll publish our annual LTC Bullet “So What if the Government
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“Paying for Long-Term Care: How It’s Changing,” by Amy Fontinelle, Investopedia “Insurance companies are trying to change that. ‘If I had to summarize a single technique being employed by all the major players, it’d be a convergence around smaller benefits,’ says Stephen D. Forman, CLTC, senior vice president of Long Term Care Associates, an insurance agency in Bellevue, Wash. Smaller policies are the way for insurers to reach the middle-market consumer, so insurers are offering policies with lower limits and more-flexible premium payment periods. Programs in the research and pilot stages include one that starts as a term life insurance
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“Boomers Create a Surge in Luxury Care Communities,” by Scott James, New York Times “Now, as the baby boom generation is about to enter its most senior years, billions of dollars are being invested in a building surge for high-end housing. The investments will test limits of consumer spending in an industry where regulations are inconsistent or lacking, and contracts are criticized for being confusing and complex. … The potential market is huge. By some industry estimates, 20 percent of baby boomers, or about 15 million people, have saved enough to afford private continuing care, with many expected to demand
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“Demand Grows, Challenges Increase for Senior Housing in Low-Density Markets,” by Chuck Sudo, Senior Housing News “The coming wave of aging baby boomers will present several challenges to a senior living industry already struggling to meet the demand of seniors who cannot afford market rate independent living, assisted living or memory care. In particular, the population of older adults is quickly growing in low-density areas where it’s especially difficult to build affordable senior living projects. The Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) at Harvard University released a new report that indicates the leading edge of the silver tsunami is already
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“Medicare Players Team Up for 2020 Chronic Care Push,” by Allison Bell, ThinkAdvisor “Policymakers in Washington once tried to keep Medicare out of the chronic care and non-medical care markets, in part to give commercial insurers a chance to establish a private market for long-term care insurance (LTCI). Now, major carriers are showing less interest in offering private LTCI, and, in some cases, saying that they would prefer to participate in public-private LTC benefits hybrid programs. Earlier this year, managers of the Medicare Advantage program eased obstacles to carriers offering limited amounts of chronic care benefits through that program, by
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