“What to Do About Your Relatives in Long-Term Care During the Coronavirus Pandemic,” by Catherine Roberts, Consumer Reports

 

Quote:

“The decision can be fraught with complications. Is being on lockdown in a nursing home safer than being in an imperfectly quarantined home? Can family and friends provide everything that’s needed? And what are the financial implications of bringing someone home from a nursing home? Of course, there’s no one correct answer to these questions.”

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

Well, actually, there is one correct answer to the last of those questions. Over three-fifths of all nursing home residents rely on Medicaid to pay the bills. If you remove a Medicaid recipient from a nursing home, that revenue stream ends. You’re on your own. So, you’re stuck. That is the Medicaid trap and one of the best reasons to have private LTC insurance that pays for the most appropriate (and safe) level and venue of care.