Lower inflation rates now qualify for Partnership status in Maine for the MutualCare® Solutions (LTC13) products. This change will be implemented on April 1, 2017. LTC13 policies issued in Maine on or after February 22, 2017, will determine Partnership qualification based on these new guidelines. Software Information The Winflex and MutualCare® Solutions software can be downloaded from SPA, beginning April 1st. View states with approved Partnership and details here. Please remember to keep your Winflex or MutualCare® Solutions software up-to-date by downloading the latest version from SPA. For additional details on Partnership policies and information visit our Partnership page on
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Rate Adjustments Effective June 1, 2017 – MA and NV
Long-Term Care insurance (LTCi) is a core product for Mutual of Omaha and we intend to remain a key player in this market for years to come. In order to fulfill this commitment, we actively monitor emerging industry trends as well as our own experience so we can make the adjustments necessary that will allow us to keep our promises to policyholders and remain competitive in the marketplace. For this reason, we will be implementing the following rate adjustments effective June 1, 2017: Block of Business Impacted States LTC06UI Massachusetts, Nevada For a complete rate history, see the
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Rate Adjustments Effective June 1, 2017 – MA
Long-Term Care insurance (LTCi) is a core product for Mutual of Omaha and we intend to remain a key player in this market for years to come. In order to fulfill this commitment, we actively monitor emerging industry trends as well as our own experience so we can make the adjustments necessary that will allow us to keep our promises to policyholders and remain competitive in the marketplace. For this reason, we will be implementing the following rate adjustments effective June 1, 2017: Block of Business Impacted States LTC04I Massachusetts For a complete rate history, see the state
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“Staring Down Alzheimer’s,” by Laura Landro, Wall Street Journal
“In the lexicon of fatal diseases, Alzheimer’s is among the least understood and the most devastating, robbing its victims of memory, bodily functions and, ultimately, identity itself. But as researchers discover more about the genetic causes of this scourge, there is a greater chance of treating and preventing it—and even more hope for a cure. In ‘The Inheritance,’ Niki Kapsambelis skillfully interweaves the quest to conquer Alzheimer’s with the saga of a few families at the center of the latest research. The genetic contribution to Alzheimer’s, she makes clear, may vary widely, but the families in Ms. Kapsambelis’s chronicle are
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Good News | GoldenCare Will Key In Your CareShield Applications & Collect Signatures!
Let GoldenCare Key In Your Applications & Collect Signatures We understand that e-apps are not always the best option, for every agent, every time. And now we’ve developed an App-Fill process to help you write more CareShield business! All the pieces you need can be found below: • CareShield Paper Application Packet • CareShield 1-Page Rate Sheet • CareShield PowerZone Premium Comparision • CareShield Underwriting Guide Do you need training? Register now to join Tom Randall’s live training! Wed, March 22, 2017 3:00 PM to 3:30 PM CDT Questions? Call GoldenCare at 800-842-7799 and speak with your Regional Director. Read
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“Minimum-Wage Hikes Could Deepen Shortage Of Health Aides,” by Anna Gronewold, Associated Press
“There are currently 2.2 million home health aides and personal care aides in the U.S., with another 630,000 needed by 2024 as the Baby Boomer generation ages, according to the nonprofit research and consulting group PHI. New York state employs about 326,000 home health workers but is predicted to need another 125,000 by 2024. For now, home health aides in New York state earn an average of about $11 an hour, though wages are lower in upstate regions. Advocates say the system needs a complete overhaul that focuses on higher pay, worker retention and finding methods of compensation beyond what
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“Medicaid is out of control. Here’s how to fix it.,” by Robert J. Samuelson, Washington Post
“It’s time to take control of Medicaid before it takes control of us. Unless we act — and there is little evidence that we will — Medicaid increasingly becomes another mechanism by which government skews spending toward the old and away from the young. In the raging debate over the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), this is a subject that neither Republicans nor Democrats dare touch. It’s an ominous omission that obscures the overhaul Medicaid really needs.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Excellent column except for his recommendation that the feds take over the
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“Warnings About Medicare’s future continue to be ignored,” by Kristin Walter, McKnight’s LTC News
“The Government Accountability Office has released its 2017 ‘High Risk List,’ which identifies federal agencies and programs vulnerable to fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement. The list is published every two years at the start of a new Congress, raising the alarm about areas that greatly need attention and redirection. First designated as ‘high risk’ back in 1990, Medicare has made the GAO list every year since due to ‘its size, complexity, and susceptibility to mismanagement and improper payments.’” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): This is a very good, short update on the tragic
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Genworth Will Launch an Affinity Discount on Individual Long Term Care Insurance Products
Effective April 24, 2017 Genworth will offer a 5% premium discount on new business1 to members of an approved Affinity organization. This discount will be available on Genworth’s individual long term care insurance products, Privileged Choice® Flex 3 and Privileged Choice® Flex and includes their Element℠ packages. For details on Affinity organization eligiblity, please refer to the Affinity Approval form (184701). This form should be completed by the Brokerage General Agency and submitted to Genworth for pre-approval. Once Genworth receives the form, we will contact you regarding next steps. The 5% premium discount will be applied to the net premium
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Genworth and Long-Term Care.
“In This Next Phase Of Health Reform, We Cannot Overlook Long Term Care,” by Everette James, Walid Gellad, and Meredith Hughes, Health Affairs Blog
“Existing evidence on feasible options for financing LTC are sparse. Many states have implemented “Long-Term Care Partnerships,” which enable individuals to qualify for Medicaid coverage as soon as they have exhausted their private LTC insurance policy. Other current options include combined life insurance and LTC insurance policies, which reduce life insurance payouts depending on LTC utilization, or life settlements, which allow individuals to sell their life insurance policy once they reach a certain age. State and national policies to support family caregivers are limited in scope and often underutilized.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care
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