“The Overextended Retirement State,” by Chris Pope, Manhattan Institute “The U.S.’s increasingly costly entitlements for middle-class retirees result in substantial redistribution away from young workers. If this system is not reformed soon, major tax increases on workers at all income levels will be required, which will only exacerbate redistribution away from age groups who are worst off.” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: The entitlement scale is heavily tipped in favor of the elderly. The young are less and less able to pay the cost. So the federal government borrows and prints money to
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  “Senior care leads in healthcare bankruptcies,” by Kathleen Steele Gaivin, McKnights Senior Living “Senior care bankruptcies, combined with pharmaceuticals, made up almost half of Chapter 11 bankruptcies in healthcare over the past three quarters, according to a report from Gibbins Investors published Wednesday. The analysis examined skilled nursing facilities, independent living communities,  assisted living communities and continuing care retirement / life plan communities, among other types of healthcare-related entities. … Jeremy R. Johnson, a restructuring attorney at Polsinelli, told McKnight’s Senior Living earlier this week that the problems in the long-term care industry are extensive, particularly in CCRCs.” LTC Comment, Stephen A.
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  “Study shows LTC costs are seniors’ No. 1 health concern, but expert says no help in sight,” by Jessica R. Towhey, McKnights LTC News “The number one health-related policy concern of older adults in the United States is the cost of long-term care, but a former US congressman and insurance commissioner said there is little political appetite for the kind of changes necessary to tackle this growing problem. … ‘This remains a substantial unmet need to American families,’ former US Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) told McKnight’s Long-Term Care News in a phone interview Tuesday. ‘Lower income families have Medicaid and, for the
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  “MA penetration expected to top 64% by 2034, analysis finds,” by Adam Healy, McKnights Home Care “Growing Medicare Advantage enrollment shows no signs of slowing down, according to a new analysis by KFF. Meanwhile, home health providers continue to struggle under inadequate payment rates offered by MA payers. … Many home care providers have reported challenges as a result of rising MA penetration. MA plans generally pay far less for home health services compared with traditional Medicare.” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Is traditional Medicare on the way out? How will home care fare?  
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  “Homebound MA beneficiaries have higher readmission, mortality risk, study finds,” by Adam Healy, McKnights Home Care “Medicare Advantage members who reside primarily at home are at a heightened risk of hospital admission, frailty and mortality, according to a new study. … Homebound status was associated with greater odds that a beneficiary would be admitted to an emergency department, inpatient hospital or skilled nursing facility, according to the study. Individuals who were homebound also had higher mortality rates, on average, compared with beneficiaries who were not. Some individuals were more likely to be homebound than others, the researchers found. Women, low-income people,
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  “Reports reveal best, worst states for retirement, falls among older adults,” by Kimberly Bonvissuto, McKnights Senior Living “Senior living operators looking to capture a greater share of the growing prospective resident population might want to check out Delaware, named the top state for retirees by Bankrate’s 2024 Best States to Retire study. The state is tops for retirees this year due to residents well-being, weather and reasonable affordability, according to Bankrate. According to the Bankrate survey, No. 2 West Virginia, No. 3 Georgia, No. 4 South Carolina and No. 5 Missouri round out the top five best states for retirement
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  “How States Can Support Individuals In The Long-Term Services and Supports Gap,” by Laura Benzing, Hannah Godlove and Megan R. Burke, Health Affairs “But what about the large population of middle-income Medicare beneficiaries nationwide who do not qualify for Medicaid and cannot afford to hire a home health aide? These individuals fall into an ‘LTSS gap’ where care is difficult, if not impossible, to access. … Near Medicaid-eligible individuals who fall into the LTSS gap experience higher rates of disability and less access to potential family caregiver support compared to Medicare beneficiaries with higher incomes. … State policy makers can
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  “Nearly half of beneficiaries don’t know the difference between Medicare and MA: survey,” by Noah Tong, Fierce Healthcare “The U.S. healthcare system remains complex and inaccessible, leaving many seniors feeling uninformed, according to a new survey from digital health company DUOS. The new national consumer survey found 49% of respondents did not know the difference between Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and 77% said they are concerned about the well-being of older family members.” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: People can’t navigate the complicated government-dominated health care system. Insurance agents help. So government seeks
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  “Stop Talking About Nursing Homes,” by Bill Comfort, ThinkAdvisor “Proactive, advanced planning for extended care is preparation for staying out of a nursing home, by making enough private-pay dollars available — through insurance or insurance combined with a client’s own income and assets — to pay for home care, or for assisted living or residential memory care, when home care is not possible or no longer practical. Advisors shouldn’t focus the extended care planning conversation on a recitation of scary statistics and the highest possible cost of care in a nursing home.” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center
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  “LTSS increasingly expensive, with fewer guardrails and more demand to come: new KFF analysis,” by Josh Henreckson, McKnights LTC News “Increasingly expensive long-term services and supports should prompt serious questions about how to meet the needs of the aging US population, say the authors of a new KFF report on senior care trends. Monday’s report from the health policy research group highlighted rising costs across the senior care spectrum that already far outstrip the incomes and savings of vulnerable older adults. … Making matters worse, the report showed the ineffectiveness of existing safety nets such as long-term care insurance and
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