“California takes top spot as worst state for retirees,” by Kathleen Steele Gaivin, McKnights Senior Living “California and New York are the worst places for retirees to live, due to rising costs, lack of healthcare options and limited choice of retirement communities, according to data from SmartAssetas reported by The Travel. More specifically, older Americans are moving out of Los Angeles, San Diego and New York City in droves, the digital travel publication reported. … Almost a quarter of a million retirees have moved to Arizona and Florida this year to date, according to the SmartAsset data.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for
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“Improvements in socioeconomic status associated with dementia-free years over lifespan, study finds,” by Kristen Fischer, McKnight’s LTC News “A downward socioeconomic status change was associated with the highest loss of dementia-free years in people 75 years old and up. By contrast, improvements in socioeconomic status during life were linked with the longest period of dementia-free years during individuals’ lifespans, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open on Tuesday.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Pair this with the LTC Clipping just sent connecting healthy eating with cognitive well-being and you can conclude wealth, good diet and
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“Ultra-processed foods linked to cognitive decline, stroke,” by Kristen Fischer, McKnights LTC News “Ultra-processed foods — think cookies, chips and soda — are tied to cognitive decline and stroke, a new report finds. The study was published Wednesday in Neurology. Though it doesn’t show that the foods directly cause memory and thinking problems or stroke, it reveals an association.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Just about everything has been associated, by cause or correlation, with dementia onset. So I don’t take such findings very seriously. But the connection between healthy diet/lifestyle and cognitive longevity
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“Insurance on Insurers: How State Insurance Guaranty Funds Protect Policyholders,” by Daniel Hartley, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago “How insurance insolvency resolution has worked in practice. … The two largest failures (presented in order of size from the second-largest to the largest) illustrate some of the potential risks of the system and how varied the resolution process experience may be across policyholders. Example 1: Penn Treaty Penn Treaty Network America Insurance Company was a medium-sized insurer that predominately issued long-term care insurance.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: For the insolvency resolution story on
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“The War on Prices: How Popular Misconceptions about Inflation, Prices, and Value Create Bad Policy,” Cato Institute “Market prices are under siege. The war on prices is waged most obviously with damaging government price controls and the harmful effects of central bank monetary mismanagement. Yet these bad policies are propped up by widespread, misguided public beliefs about the causes of inflation, the effects of price controls, and the inherent morality of market prices.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Inflation is the hidden tax imposed by government to pay for its irresponsible fiscal and
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“Ageless Aging: A Woman’s Guide to Increasing Healthspan, Brainspan, and Lifespan,” by Maddy Dychtwald “Ageless Aging presents a pioneering new way for women to feel youthful, energetic, and vital while gaining the upsides of aging, including more happiness, wisdom, and resilience. It provides a holistic action plan based on cutting-edge research that helps women take advantage of the scientific, medical, psychological, and spiritual tools, tips, and advice available to help women live better longer.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Everything from the Dychtwalds is worth checking out.   Subscribe to GoldenCare News  
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“A solution to the crisis in long-term care? The Big Story,” by Cathrin Bradbury, City News “Ask anyone how they want to spend their final years, and nobody will say “in a long-term care facility.” And that was true ever before the pandemic showed us just how awful they can be. Most people want to grow old in their own home, but many of them simply can’t access the care they need as they age. What if there was a way to meet in the middle of those two problems? A solution that would ease the burden on LTC facilities,
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“Nursing homes wield pandemic immunity laws to duck wrongful death suits,” by Fred Schulte, KFF Health News “More than four years after COVID first raged through many U.S. nursing homes, hundreds of lawsuits blaming patient deaths on negligent care have been tossed out or languished in the courts amid contentious legal battles. Even some nursing homes that were shut down by health officials for violating safety standards have claimed immunity against such suits, court records show. And some families that allege homes kept them in the dark about the health of their loved ones, even denying there were cases of
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“Long-term care: Options and considerations,” Fidelity “The need for long-term care as we age can be financially, physically, and emotionally taxing. Coverage options can include traditional long-term care policies, Medicaid, and hybrid policies. If you’re considering a policy, think carefully about when to buy and about the features that make sense for your situation.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Very promising to see a big investment firm recommending LTC planning. Unfortunately, it mentions Medicaid as an option without explaining the welfare program’s deficiencies. But, all in all, a good development. We thank Mark
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IRS Releases 2025 Contribution Limits for HSAs “The Internal Revenue Service has released inflation-adjusted 2025 contribution limits for health savings accounts, or HSAs, and the maximum amount that may be made newly available for excepted benefit health reimbursement arrangements, or HRAs. The IRS states in Revenue Procedure 2024-25 that the annual contribution limit for an individual with self-only coverage under a high deductible health plan is $4,300, up from $4,150 in 2024. For calendar year 2025, the annual limitation on deductions for an individual with family coverage under a high deductible health plan is $8,550, up from $8,300 in 2024.”   LTC Comment,
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