“Medicare Advantage premiums to decline slightly in 2022, Part D to rise by nearly 5%,” by Robert King, Fierce Healthcare Quote: “Average Medicare Advantage plan premiums are expected to hit $19 per month next year, a slight decline from the $21.22 in 2021. But Medicare Part D plan premiums will continue to increase by nearly 5% to $33 next year compared to the current premium of $31.47, new federal data show. The premium data, released Wednesday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), also come with a projection that MA enrollment will reach 29.5 million next year, compared
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“AP-NORC poll: Virus fears linger for vaccinated older adults,” by Matt Sedensky, Associated Press Quote: “As the virus’ delta variant has fueled new waves of infection, the poll of people age 50 or older found 36% are very or extremely worried that they or a family member will be infected, roughly doubled since June. The increase is fueled by the vaccinated, who are especially likely to be highly worried. Just 25% of vaccinated Americans, but 61% of unvaccinated Americans, say they are not worried.” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Go figure.          
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“Long-Term Care Planning: What Advisors Should Know,” by Ginger Szala, ThinkAdvisor Quote: “Long-term care planning should start as soon as someone is diagnosed with dementia. … Therefore, the family needs to plan for a minimum of two years of care, at a cost $100,000 a year or more, and ‘they should have a cushion at the end of $500,000.’ Further, Medicaid has a five-year lookback, so ‘as soon as someone is diagnosed with dementia, that’s when you need to start the planning.’ Regarding long-term care insurance, McClanahan noted that policies today have had ‘devastating premium increases,’ but the general premise
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“Long-Term Care Planning: What Advisors Should Know,” by Ginger Szala, ThinkAdvisor Quote: “The financial situation of the long-term care insurance fund is apparently precarious due to the additional costs caused by the Corona pandemic. According to a media report, the providers of long-term care insurance are facing a gap of billions of euros. The ‘Bild’ newspaper reports that the nursing care insurance fund urgently needs a financial injection from the Federal Ministry of Finance.” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: We anticipated this problem in “LTC Bullet–LTCI in Germany,” August 15, 2002: “[A]fter only seven
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“The nursing care insurance fund is apparently threatened with insolvency,” by Florence Jenkins, The Germany Eye Quote: “The financial situation of the long-term care insurance fund is apparently precarious due to the additional costs caused by the Corona pandemic. According to a media report, the providers of long-term care insurance are facing a gap of billions of euros. The ‘Bild’ newspaper reports that the nursing care insurance fund urgently needs a financial injection from the Federal Ministry of Finance.” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: We anticipated this problem in “LTC Bullet–LTCI in Germany,” August
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“Opt-out direction, updates, and good and bad news concerning long-term-care law,” by Elizabeth Hovde, Washington Policy Center Quote: “A newly created long-term-care program in Washington state does not guarantee workers ‘long-term’ care. In its most recent meeting, state commission members acknowledged that the WA Cares Fund’s lifetime benefit of $36,500 will offer only partial help with most individuals’ long-term-care needs. … Several lawmakers and commission members are asking good questions about the law’s details and implementation. That’s encouraging. Not encouraging is a glossy marketing campaign full of false hope and a lack of information. The state’s ads for the  program that W2 workers are
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