“Medicare Beneficiaries’ Financial Security Before the Coronavirus Pandemic”

“Medicare Beneficiaries’ Financial Security Before the Coronavirus Pandemic,” by Wyatt Koma, et al., Kaiser Family Foundation Quote: “This analysis looks at the income, assets and home equity of Medicare beneficiaries prior to coronavirus outbreak, using data from the Dynamic Simulation of Income Model (DYNASIM) for 2019 (See Methodology for details). We look at the overall population and variations by age, gender, and race/ethnicity. Because the analysis is based on information available prior to the pandemic, the estimates do not reflect the impact that the coronavirus economy has had, or will have, on Medicare beneficiaries’ income and savings. Key Findings Even before
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Categories: Clippings, Industry News, and Long-Term Care.

“Medi(long-term)care for all: A look Into the future of long-term care insurance—Part one”

“Medi(long-term)care for all: A look Into the future of long-term care insurance—Part one,” by Stephanie Moench and Shawn Stender, Society of Actuaries Long-Term Care News Quote: “The need for long-term care (LTC) services has been fairly well documented since the inception of the private LTC insurance industry in the 1980s. The need for LTC is not going away, especially as the population continues to age. This article explores three possible future paths for LTC insurance funding and the associated implications for the private LTC industry.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Read this thoughtful article and
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Categories: Clippings, Industry News, and Long-Term Care.

“Long-Term Care Protection Without Additional Cost”

“Long-Term Care Protection Without Additional Cost,” by Bryant Monson, Forbes Quote: “Many of our clients find they could have long-term care protection without the out-of-pocket cost. We found the following solution is an option that can work well for them. Use a disposable asset to create income to pay the long-term care premium AND pay the premium for a life insurance policy designed to replace the original asset. This can only be done using an asset not needed for current or future use. By using a three-tiered approach, we not only provide long-term care protection, but we eliminate the worry
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Categories: Clippings, Industry News, and Long-Term Care.

“Millennials Surpass Baby Boomers as Largest U.S. Generation Ending 20-Year Run”

“MILLENNIALS SURPASS BABY BOOMERS AS LARGEST U.S. GENERATION, ENDING 20-YEAR RUN,” by Benjamin Fearnow, Newsweek Quote: “For the first time in the 21st Century, the Baby Boomers are no longer the largest generation in America. Millennials, an age group defined as people between the ages of 23 to 38 years old, overtook their Boomer counterparts as of July 1, 2019, according to U.S. Census Bureau data compiled by the Pew Research Center and published Tuesday. Boomers, defined as Americans aged 55 to 73, had been the nation’s largest living adult generation since 1999 and they held that title for two decades. Generation
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Categories: Clippings, Industry News, and Long-Term Care.

“How Can a Trust Help You Avoid Nursing Home Costs?”

“How Can a Trust Help You Avoid Nursing Home Costs?,” by Chris Berry, Kiplinger’s Quote: “How does it work for long-term care protection? Once you move your assets into an irrevocable trust, you’re effectively depleting your estate of disposable assets, a move that eventually will allow you to use Medicaid assistance to help pay for your basic long-term care costs. But you won’t be without additional resources: The trust can still provide you with some income to improve your quality of life. Or for a married couple, if one spouse needs long-term care, the other spouse won’t become completely impoverished
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Categories: Clippings, Industry News, and Long-Term Care.

“COVID-19 Could Increase Seniors’ Rapid Disenrollment in Medicare Advantage”

“COVID-19 Could Increase Seniors’ Rapid Disenrollment in Medicare Advantage,” by Bailey Bryant, Home Health Care News Quote: “There’s a lot of speculation about what the coronavirus will mean for the Medicare Advantage industry, especially as it relates to home-based care. Some believe it could mean more MA opportunities for at-home care providers in 2021 — or even sooner, as CMS recently announced that plans can provide mid-year benefit enhancements in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Meanwhile, others worry it could hinder home care opportunities in the space.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): MA virus quandary.      
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Categories: Clippings, COVID-19, Industry News, and Long-Term Care.

“The Potential Health Care Costs And Resource Use Associated With COVID-19 In The United States”

“The Potential Health Care Costs And Resource Use Associated With COVID-19 In The United States,” by Sarah M. Bartsch, et al., Health Affairs   Quote: “With the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, one of the major concerns is the burden COVID-19 will impose on the United States (U.S.) health care system. We developed a Monte Carlo simulation model representing the U.S. population and what can happen to each person who gets infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). We estimate resource use and direct medical costs per infection and at the national level, with various “attack rates” (infection
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Categories: Clippings, COVID-19, Industry News, and Long-Term Care.

“Coronavirus to accelerate Social Security, Medicare depletion dates, U.S. officials say”

“Coronavirus to accelerate Social Security, Medicare depletion dates, U.S. officials say,” by David Lawder, Reuters   Quote: “The 2020 Social Security and Medicare trustees reports released on Wednesday did not reflect projections from the coronavirus pandemic but showed continued long-term funding shortfalls for retirement, disability and seniors’ healthcare benefits. … Trump administration officials said that while they have made no official projections on the effects of the virus, if a 15% reduction in employment and revenues persists over the full 2020 year, they expect those depletion dates will move forward.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term
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Categories: Clippings, COVID-19, Industry News, and Long-Term Care.

“What to Do About Your Relatives in Long-Term Care During the Coronavirus Pandemic”

“What to Do About Your Relatives in Long-Term Care During the Coronavirus Pandemic,” by Catherine Roberts, Consumer Reports   Quote: “The decision can be fraught with complications. Is being on lockdown in a nursing home safer than being in an imperfectly quarantined home? Can family and friends provide everything that’s needed? And what are the financial implications of bringing someone home from a nursing home? Of course, there’s no one correct answer to these questions.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Well, actually, there is one correct answer to the last of those questions.
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Categories: Clippings, COVID-19, Industry News, and Long-Term Care.

“A Dozen Facts About Medicare Advantage in 2020”

“A Dozen Facts About Medicare Advantage in 2020,” by Meredith Freed, Anthony Damico, and Tricia Neuman, Kaiser Family Foundation   Quote: “Medicare Advantage enrollment has grown rapidly over the past decade, and Medicare Advantage plans have taken on a larger role in the Medicare program. This data analysis provides current information and trends about Medicare Advantage enrollment, premiums, and out-of-pocket limits. It also includes analyses of Medicare Advantage plans’ extra benefits and prior authorization requirements. The analysis also highlights changes pertaining to Medicare Advantage coverage that have occurred in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 crisis.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for
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Categories: Clippings, Industry News, and Long-Term Care.