“Boren-like solution needed nationwide to address Medicaid shortfalls, expert says,” by Danielle Brown, McKnight’s LTC   Quote: “The coronavirus pandemic has put a glaring spotlight on the cost of delivering quality care at nursing homes and how much states are willing to pay for it, and the only true solution would be to fund facilities at a rate commensurate to the oversight regulations in place, according to one top provider executive. … The Boren Amendment, which was in place from 1980 to 1997, required that Medicaid nursing home rates be reasonable and adequate to meet the costs incurred by facilities in
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“Want to age at home instead of a nursing home? Consider this first,” by Alessandra Malito, MarketWatch   Quote: “COVID-19 has changed many Americans’ plans — where they’ll vacation next, when they’ll retire and even how they’ll earn a living. The last year has also had people rethinking where they’ll age, and what kind of care they’ll receive when the time comes. Enter long-term care insurance: policies that aren’t particularly new, but will move to the tops of minds as individuals make these decisions and figure out how to fund their choices.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center
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“We need comprehensive long-term care reform, and we need it now,” by Norma Coe, The Hill   Quote: “No doubt, passing Biden’s plan would make material improvements in many people’s lives. However, it does not challenge the premise that, in this country, long-term care provision and financing will remain primarily a family responsibility, especially for the middle class. It is time to question this principle.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: So, it’s not enough that I take care of myself and my family; I have to take care of you and yours as
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“NAIFA-ND Activates Grassroots to Counter LTC Proposal,” by Julie Harrison, NAIFA    Quote: “North Dakota lawmakers are considering a bill that would impose a three-year ban on the sale of long-term care insurance policies. The bill, SB 2253, has four sponsors seeking to use the three-year moratorium to study the market and premium increases. Members of NAIFA-ND have responded to the bill by personally reaching out to their elected lawmakers to express their grave concerns.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Now that’s a brilliant move. Maybe while they’re at it they should make
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“Here’s a New COVID-19 Nightmare, for You,” by Allison Bell, ThinkAdvisor   Quote: “COVID-19 could make the Americans who have the toughest time saving for retirement even less likely to save, and even less like to use the retirement savings they have to buy annuities. Three economists have reported on research supporting this conclusion in a new working paper published on the National Bureau of Economic Research website.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: I’m from the government and I’m here to help you. First I told you not to worry about saving for retirement, old age
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“COVID-19 and Long-Term Care: LTCI Insider,” by Margie Barrie, ThinkAdvisor   Quote: “I just completed a white paper that addresses the impact of COVID-19 on the long-term care continuum. To obtain this information, I surveyed numerous top people in the long-term care industry — people who have insider information. This article is an overview of what they shared.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: This is the “white paper” I referenced and recommended in two agent webinars in early January. Strongly recommended. Well done, Margie.    
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“An afternoon nap could improve your cognitive abilities, study says,” by Megan Marples, CNN  Quote: “Taking an afternoon snooze could keep your brain sharp, a new study has said. Adults ages 60 and older who took afternoon naps showed signs of better mental agility compared to those who didn’t nap, according to a study published in General Psychiatry earlier this week.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Naps are refreshing? Who knew?    
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“New York AG: Nursing Home COVID Deaths Undercounted by 50%, ‘Low Staffing Model Simply Snapped’,” by Alex Spanko, Skilled Nursing News Quote: “The attorney general of New York State on Thursday released a blistering report suggesting that COVID-19 deaths in the state’s nursing homes may have been undercounted by as much as 50%, while also describing an already insufficient staffing model collapsing under the pressure of the pandemic. … The report in particular called out for-profit facilities for maintaining low staffing levels prior to the pandemic, noting that 280 of the 401 for-profit facilities in the state had the lowest possible staffing
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“Group Sees Long-Term Care Insurance Claims Rising,” by Allison Bell, ThinkAdvisor Quote: “Long-term care insurance (LTCI) providers paid $11.6 billion in benefits to 325,000 claimants in 2019. The American Association for Long-term Care Insurance (AALTCI) is reporting those figures in a new batch of LTCI market data. The total amount of LTCI benefits paid was 5.2% higher in 2020 than in 2019, and the number of claimants increased 4.8%, according to AALTCI. … The average amount of benefits paid per claimant increased to about $35,700, from about $35,500.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform:
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“American Academy of Actuaries Examines COVID-19’s Potential Impacts on Long-Term Care Insurance,” by American Academy of Actuaries, Cision PR Newswire Quote: “A new issue brief from the American Academy of Actuaries applies actuarial expertise to provide an understanding of how COVID-19 could impact long-term care insurance (LTCI), including LTCI delivery, demand, and markets, as well as new public policy considerations. … COVID-19 could have other meaningful impacts on LTCI, including: Mortality and morbidity changes if they affect claim periods and/or claims incidence compared to what was previously expected. Changes in the demand/delivery for long-term care services such as the increased use of
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