“13 things to know about long-term care planning,” by Tammy Flanagan, Government Executive “Although taking chances on Friday the 13th is an old superstition, one thing that you should not take a chance on is the possibility of needing long-term care. Planning for the potential need for long-term care will benefit you and your family in the following 13 ways:” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Click through to find those 13 ways according to Government Executive.     Subscribe to GoldenCare News  
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“Welfare Is What’s Eating the Budget,” by Phil Gramm and Jodey Arrington, Wall Street Journal (WSJ has a pay wall but I believe this link goes to a free version of the article on the AEI website) “Since funding for the War on Poverty ramped up in 1967, welfare payments received by the average work-age household in the bottom quintile of income recipients has risen from $7,352 in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars to $64,700 in 2022, the last year with available household income data. This 780% increase was 9.2 times the rise in income earned by the average American household. …
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“The States Are Dangerously Dependent on Medicaid-Expansion Dollars,” by Gary D. Alexander, National Review “A recent study by the Paragon Health Institute points out that a fundamental flaw with Medicaid expansion is its inequitable distribution of federal funds. As currently implemented, the program has the federal government covering 90 percent of the medical costs of able-bodied adults but only 50 to 75 percent of the costs of elderly, disabled, and child recipients — populations that tend to require the most expensive and intensive care. This creates a perverse incentive for states to prioritize the coverage of healthy adults, who are cheaper to care
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“The impact of Medicaid Estate Recovery,” River Reporter “Recognizing the need to address the inequities perpetuated by Medicaid Estate Recovery (MER) on marginalized communities, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has awarded a grant to the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) Foundation to fund research, education and advocacy on this issue.” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Most people think of Medicaid as a program for the poor. But as I’ve pointed out in countless articles and reports, even the affluent qualify easily for Medicaid’s most expensive benefit, long-term care. The purpose of
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“I don’t have a spare $150,000, so long-term care insurance is absolutely worth the cost,” by Angie Chapman, Business Insider “With lifespans longer and families more spread out, it’s essential that I think about long-term care. Long-term care insurance comes in many forms at many costs, including as part of a life insurance policy. I hope to have a long, comfortable life, but I’m preparing for whatever is ahead.” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Short, sweet and to the point. And in a business magazine!     Subscribe to GoldenCare News  
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“The cost of senior care: Why aging farmers fear the nursing home,” by Juliana Kim and Tim Evans, NPR “Long-term care insurance exists, but it’s deeply unpopular with older Americans. So, many seniors dip into their retirement or savings to get the care they need, while others apply for Medicaid, which has its own challenges. … Long-term care insurance is rife with its own problems, from complex underwriting to rising premiums. … Short-term care policies are a newer alternative to long-term care insurance, said Lance Boyer, a sales director at Farmers Union Insurance in North Dakota. But their benefits usually last no more
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“Why home equity should be in the long-term care conversation,” by Chris Clow, HousingWire “Long-term care is emerging as a key concern for older Americans, especially since its costs will most likely need to be covered from a fixed income. … Citing data from the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA), senior-held home equity rose to more than $13 trillion in first-quarter 2024. Deploying this equity by converting it into liquid funds may be an option for the right person … .” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Blame Medicaid’s home equity exemption, over one million dollars in some
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  “Massachusetts Long-Term Care Bill Passes After Efforts by Elder Advocacy Groups,” yahoo!finance “MassNAELA, an organization of elder and special needs law attorneys dedicated to raising awareness of issues concerning the elderly and those with special needs, joined with other elder organizations to advocate for the bill’s passage through the Massachusetts State Legislature. MassNAELA also advised legislators on the bill’s language and content.” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: NAELA is the trade association of the Medicaid planners who artificially qualify affluent clients for LTC benefits consuming resources that should have been reserved for people
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  “Study Reveals Long-Term Care Insurance Reduces Hospital Costs and Improves Care,” by Lisa Kuhns, First Report “Greater long-term care needs led to increased hospitalization costs of 5%. This is likely due to ‘social hospitalization,’ where people with disabilities stay in hospitals to receive care when other options are unavailable or inadequate. This issue has become increasingly pressing due to China’s rapidly aging population, with over 280 million people aged 60 and above by the end of 2022. However, the implementation of long-term care insurance helped counteract this effect. The insurance provides subsidies for home care and professional care services,
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  “Long-Term Care Costs Emerge as a Top Issue for Older Americans,” by Allison Bell, ThinkAdvisor “When the survey team asked participants whether they were very worried about certain health-related concerns, the ‘cost of home care, assisted living, nursing home care’ ranked first: 56.3% of the survey participants said they were very worried about that issue.” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: If that’s true, why aren’t more people worried enough to plan for LTC risk and cost? For the answer, read the Paragon Health Institute’s “Long-Term Care: The Problem” and “Long-Term Care: The Solution”
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