“Medicare Players Team Up for 2020 Chronic Care Push,” by Allison Bell, ThinkAdvisor

“Policymakers in Washington once tried to keep Medicare out of the chronic care and non-medical care markets, in part to give commercial insurers a chance to establish a private market for long-term care insurance (LTCI). Now, major carriers are showing less interest in offering private LTCI, and, in some cases, saying that they would prefer to participate in public-private LTC benefits hybrid programs. Earlier this year, managers of the Medicare Advantage program eased obstacles to carriers offering limited amounts of chronic care benefits through that program, by announcing that they would classify benefits related to the “social determinants of care” as benefits that Medicare Advantage plan issuers could offer as supplemental benefits. The new flexibility gives carriers a chance to add what amount to “short-term care” benefits, or convalescent care benefits, to plan benefits, in an effort to improve enrollee health and hold down overall spending.”

LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform):

I predict much hype, little substance, and greater LTC risk denial.