“Skilled nursing occupancy hits 5-year low,” by Kimberley Marselas, McKnight’s LTC News “Occupancy at the nation’s skilled nursing facilities dropped to a five-year low of 81.6% during the third quarter of 2017, according to the Skilled Nursing Data Report published Thursday by the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care. . . . While Medicare patient mix came in at a low of 12.2% percent — down from 15% in 2015 — Medicaid shares continue to increase. It hit its highest point within the last five years at 66.8% last quarter.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center
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“Manulife exits the Long Term Care insurance market,” by Kate McCaffery, The Insurance and Investment Journal “Following in the footsteps of its U.S. subsidiary, Manulife Financial announced that it will cease selling new individual Long Term Care (LTC) insurance policies in Canada as of Nov. 30. The announcement, made via the company’s RepSource website, comes one year after it announced that John Hancock Life Insurance Co. would discontinue the sale of its own LTC policies in the United States. The company says the move will not impact any in-force individual disability or critical illness policies which include long term care
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“Don’t Count on FEHB to Cover Long-Term Care Costs,” FEDWeek “There is a common misconception that the Federal Employees Health Benefits program covers long-term care needs. In fact, long-term care is primarily not medical care and the benefits for such care under FEHB (or Medicare) are limited, covering only short periods and only certain types of care in some situations. FEHB plans don’t cover custodial care, a stay in an assisted living facility, or a continuing need for a home health aide to help you with other activities of daily living.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for
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“Genworth Posts LTCI Rate Hike Update,” by Allison Bell, ThinkAdvisor “Genworth Financial Inc. today told investors it’s continuing to get approvals from state insurance regulators for substantial long-term care insurance (LTCI) rate increases. The Richmond, Virginia-based insurer said it had received approvals for 75 increases by Sept. 30. That compares with an LTCI rate increase approval total of 96 for all of 2016, and 69 approvals for all of 2015.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Yikes, more rate hikes! But put this in context. Private insurers raise premiums in order to ensure they’ll be
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“Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2017 Report,” Fraser Institute “Waiting for treatment has become a defining characteristic of Canadian health care. In order to document the lengthy queues for visits to specialists and for diagnostic and surgical procedures in the country, the Fraser Institute has—for over two decades—surveyed specialist physicians across 12 specialties and 10 provinces. This edition of Waiting Your Turn indicates that, overall, waiting times for medically necessary treatment have in-creased since last year. Specialist physicians surveyed report a median waiting time of 21.2 weeks between referral from a general practitioner and receipt
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“Married and protecting assets from Medicaid | Biz Brain,” by Karin Price Mueller, NJMoneyHelp “Q. Is it possible for a married couple to somehow separate their assets so that if one of them ends up in a nursing home, the other’s assets will not be tapped? Or are there other legal solutions to this horrible scenario? — Planning A. We’re so glad you’re asking rather than deal with this challenge should you or your spouse ever need care. Let’s talk Medicaid.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Consider this short, inadequate column on the
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“’Village Movement’ Allows Elderly To Age In Their Homes,” by Ina Jaffe, NPR “NPR’s Ina Jaffe covers aging. She’s traveled around the country looking at how this concept has evolved. And she joins us. Now, first, Ina, what is the village? “INA JAFFE, BYLINE: Well, it is not an actual village, first of all. It’s a neighborhood-based membership organization. Usually, the way it works is that older adults pay dues of a few hundred dollars a year. And that pays for an office and a tiny staff. And then the village provides connections to discounted services, anything from contractors to
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“Americo Introduces a Single-Premium Immediate LTCI Policy,” by Allison Bell, ThinkAdvisor “Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company has introduced an unusual product: a single-premium long-term care insurance (LTCI) policy aimed at people who already need long-term care (LTC) services. . . . To be eligible to have the policy, and to get the benefits, policyholder must be age 65 or older. The policyholder also must already need substantial assistance with at least two “activities of daily living,” or need substantial supervision due to dementia or some other form of cognitive impairment.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center
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“Critics say pressure to lower hospital readmissions may be backfiring,” by Kimberley Marselas, McKnight’s LTC News “Five years after financial penalties went into place for hospitals with high readmission rates, experts are questioning whether falling return rates mean patients actually are faring better. In an analysis by STAT, some skeptics say fewer readmissions belie a darker truth — that hospitals are taking shortcuts, and in some cases compromising patient care, to avoid financial pain and public embarrassment.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Prices in free markets express consumers’ preferences and best interests. Unfortunately,
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