“Michigan inching toward privatization of long-term care,” by Kimberly Marselas, McKnight’s LTC News Quote: “Michigan is laying the groundwork to privatize its $2.8 billion Medicaid nursing home and long-term care services. A brief proposal included in the state’s 2017-2018 budget calls on the Department of Health and Human Services to ‘explore the implementation of a managed care long-term support service’ by July 1. … At least 22 states are exploring ways to integrate long-term care services into their Medicaid programs to reduce costs, increase services and improve quality, according to a report issued by the Center for Healthcare Research and Transformation.”
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“Managed Care Payments Continue to Squeeze Skilled Nursing Providers,” by John Yedinak, Skilled Nursing News Quote: “As the shift to value-based payments and managed care grows, data shows that skilled nursing providers are seeing revenue per patient under these agreements slide as the patient mix increases. … While the rates providers are receiving from these types of contracts varies, most expect to take a 25% hit from what they would have received under traditional fee-for-service models, according to Marc Zimmet, managing director at Greystone and Zimmet Healthcare.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): One more way
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“Future Retirees Will Be More Vulnerable to Market Shocks: CRR,” by Bernice Napach, ThinkAdvisor Quote: “Financial assets are expected to play an increasingly larger role as a source for retirees’ income, which increases their financial fragility, according to the Center for Retirement Research. In its latest report ‘Will the Financial Fragility of Retirees Increase?”’ CRR notes that the ‘increased dependence on financial assets’ makes retirees more vulnerable to market downturns, especially if they have inadequate savings.” LTC Comment (from Damon V. Moses, Administrative Coordinator, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): All the more reason for future retirement planners to use some
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“Planning Smart for Your Clients’ Senior Caregiving Duties,” by Brian O’Connell, InsuranceNewsNet Quote: “Investment advisors who really want to help clients maintain a healthy cash flow plan need to address a burgeoning issue – the financial burden of caregiving for seniors. ‘While some may make a living caring for others, millions of caregivers nationwide provide services that go unpaid — most notably, folks who care for family members in need,’ SCAN Health Plan stated in a recent report. ‘While it’s clear that caregiving can take an emotional toll on those who provide it, the financial toll is often overlooked.’ “A
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“Will This 1 Expense Prevent You From Living Your Dream Retirement?,” by Maurie Backman, The Motley Fool Quote: “Countless workers look forward to retirement and the carefree lifestyle with which it’s often associated. Unfortunately, 28% of today’s seniors say life is worse in retirement, and part of that sentiment boils down to financial woes. Of course, the fact that many seniors today are struggling financially isn’t shocking, especially given the number of folks who entered retirement with inadequate savings. But while some of that is a function of negligence and perhaps an overreliance on Social Security, a big reason why
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“FDA Sets the Stage for Earlier-Stage Alzheimer’s Treatments,” by Zack’s Equity Research, NASDAQ Quote: “The FDA has proposed new guidelines, which are aimed at lowering the clinical study goals of Alzheimer’s disease drugs for treating earlier-stage patients who have not yet displayed functional disability or clinical abnormality. This strategy, part of FDA’s ongoing efforts to expand access to safe and effective treatment options for many serious conditions, suggests that the agency may be open to an accelerated approval process for such drugs. FDA’s proposed guidelines came in a week when major disappointments in the field were announced by companies developing drugs
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“Six emerging housing trends in 55+ living communities,” by John Manrique, McKnight’s Senior Living Quote: “With the demand for age-restricted communities expected to continue to grow rapidly over the next decade, buyers increasingly will want places to live that offer comfortable homes and complement their active lifestyles. To keep pace with boomer needs, builders are constructing new active adult communities throughout the United States. Below are the top six emerging trends in 55+ housing:” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, Administrative Coordinator, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Click through to find the trends. Six emerging housing trends in 55+ living communities
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“National Health Expenditure Projections, 2017–26: Despite Uncertainty, Fundamentals Primarily Drive Spending Growth,” by Gigi A. Cuckler, Andrea M. Sisko, John A. Poisal, Sean P. Keehan, Sheila D. Smith, Andrew J. Madison, Christian J. Wolfe, and James C. Hardesty, Health Affairs Quote: “National health spending growth is expected to average 5.5 percent per year for 2017–26 and to reach $5.7 trillion by 2026 (exhibit 1). Over the same period, growth in the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to be 4.5 percent per year. This 1.0-percentage-point differential is expected to result in an increase in the health share of the
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