“How Medicare Advantage Fuels Innovation in Care of Seriously Ill,” by Christopher Cheney, Healio “Medicare Advantage is a hotbed of innovation in efforts to improve care for seriously ill patients, researchers say. ‘The financing structure of Medicare Advantage makes it a fertile testing ground for new payment and care delivery approaches, including value-based payment models,’ the researchers wrote in their report published this month by the Duke Margolis Center for Health Policy.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Score another one for MA vs. traditional Medicare, which not known for innovation. How Medicare Advantage
Read More

“Senior living will grow at skilled care’s expense through 2021, report predicts,” by John O’Connor, McKnight’s Senior Living “Senior living operators can look forward to growth in the coming years, largely at the expense of their skilled-care competitors. So suggests a new report that sizes up the seniors housing and care sector. … The report also predicts that individuals will be responsible for more of their care costs in the coming years, as government funding sources decline. Out-of-pocket expenses will largely fill the growing void, along with private insurance to a lesser extent, the authors predict. The full report, which
Read More

“Critical Illness Insurance Sales Rise: LIMRA,” by Allison Bell, ThinkAdvisor “The U.S. market for a relatively new supplemental health product, critical illness insurance, continues to grow. Premiums from new sales of the product through voluntary benefits and worksite marketing programs increased to $627 million in 2017, up 15% from the 2016 total, according to LIMRA.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): CI up while LTCI down. Any connection? Critical Illness Insurance Sales Rise: LIMRA #limra #goldencareagent
Read More

“What’s the Ideal Retirement Age? Here’s What Americans Think,” by Ginger Szala “The study found that, on average, Americans think the ideal age to retire is 61, and the right time to begin saving for retirement is 22. Women see the ideal age to retire as 62, while men see the right age as 60. Those who make less than $50,000 a year believe people should start saving for retirement at age 23, two years later than those who make more than that amount. Republicans think saving for retirement should start at age 20, while Democrats said 23.”” LTC Comment
Read More

“Researchers find Alzheimer’s threat never diminishes; average survival confirmed 6 years,” by Marty Stempniak, McKnight’s LTC News “First-ever studies are bringing new revelations about Alzheimer’s disease this week, as the Alzheimer’s Association hosts its 2018 International Conference in Chicago. Among them: Dementia survival time is short, regardless of the age at onset. … Aiming to better understand survival times of those diagnosed at a relatively young age, Amsterdam researchers poured over data for some 4,500 early-onset dementia patients in one memory clinic. They found that median survival time, across all age groups, was six years, hardly different from those older
Read More

“Got Medicare Advantage? Prepare for New Perks — and New Questions,” by Paula Span, New York Times “When Medicare’s open enrollment period begins on Oct. 15, the private insurers that underwrite Advantage plans — which already lure seniors with things traditional Medicare can’t cover, like eyeglasses, hearing aids and gym memberships — will be free to add a long list of new benefits. Among those the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will now allow, if they’re deemed health-related: Adult day care programs. Home aides to help with activities of daily living, like bathing and dressing. Palliative care at home
Read More