“Genworth Gets Major Regulatory Approvals for China Oceanwide Deal,” by Allison Bell, ThinkAdvisor “Genworth Financial Inc. is now much closer to becoming part of China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co. Ltd. The Richmond, Virginia-based insurer says it has received approvals for the $2.7 billion China Oceanwide deal from several major regulatory agencies. … GLIC has written more LTCI business than any other U.S. issuer. The Delaware Department of Insurance, the lead regulator for a major Genworth subsidiary, Genworth Life Insurance Company (GLIC), has given the deal its blessing. Genworth says it also has received approvals from two major U.S. mortgage guarantee agencies,
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“How and Why Entrepreneurs Should Focus on Seniors in 2019,” by Jeannette McClennan, Entrepreneur “We see a lot of headlines about how our population is aging, but we don’t see what businesses are doing about it. By 2035, for the first time in American history, people aged 65 and older will outnumber those 18 and younger, and it’s time for entrepreneurs to take note. As someone who has worked in innovation in the senior space, for AARP and elsewhere, I can offer some predictions for what I see as the path forward, and what entrepreneurs — of any age — can
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“Are you heavier or shorter than the average American?,” by Naomi Thomas, CNN “America is struggling with an obesity epidemic, and a new government report says that the population is only getting heavier. … The average weight of American men in 2015-16 was 197.9 pounds; for women, it was 170.6 pounds. This is up from 189.4 pounds and 163.8 pounds, respectively, in 1999-2000. … BMI, a formula involving height and weight, also increased. In 2015-16, the average BMI was 29.1 for men and 29.6 for women. [30 is the cutoff for obesity.] Both numbers have increased since 1999-2000 when they
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“How Your Retired Prospects’ Coverage Has Changed,” by Allison Bell, ThinkAdvisor “U.S. retirees may be covering their eyes and teeth better, but they may have less protection against long-term care (LTC) and disability risk than they did just two years ago. … The Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies released a new batch of U.S. retiree survey data today. … The percentage with dental insurance increased a little, and the percentage with vision insurance increased a lot: 40% now have dental coverage, and 35% have vision coverage. But the percentage with disability insurance fell a little, and the percentage with private long-term
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“Long-Term Care Providers Drive Growth in Special Medicare Advantage Plans,” by Anne Tumlinson and Elizabeth Walsh, Skilled Nursing News “Health care providers selling Medicare Advantage (MA) products isn’t a new trend, but typically ‘providers’ refers to hospitals, health systems, or physician groups. Few would expect nursing homes and assisted living operators to be able or willing to manage health care risk for some of the highest-cost Medicare beneficiaries. And yet, as these charts illustrate, long-term care providers are largely responsible for driving rapid growth (23%) in the number of MA special needs plans enrolling institutionalized Medicare beneficiaries over the last
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“7 Myths About Caregiving Costs,” by Rachel Hartman, US News & World Report “If you are currently providing care for an elderly relative or plan to do so in the future, filtering through the financial details as early as possible can save time and money later. Here are some common misconceptions surrounding the costs of caregiving, as well as the realities to expect.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Mentions but doesn’t recommend LTCI; mentions Medicaid but doesn’t warn about access and quality problems.  
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“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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