How to Find Affordable Long-Term Care

May 17, 2010 RSS Feed Print

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New government insurance program. The health reform bill, signed by President Obama on March 23, creates a new long-term care insurance program. The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program will begin in January 2011. Working adults who pay into the voluntary government program for five continuous years will receive a cash benefit averaging at least $50 per day if they become unable to perform the activities of daily living for a period of 90 days or more. "This program will help people stay out of nursing homes longer or to walk in the door with a cushion," says Larry Minnix, CEO of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging. Payouts, which are currently scheduled to begin in 2017, will vary based on the functional ability of the participant and will have no lifetime maximum.

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IN THIS COUNTRY, THERE IS NOT MUCH HELP OR RESPECT FOR THE ELDERLY. I TOOK CARE OF MY ELDERLY MOTHER WHO WAS COMPLETELY BEDRIDDEN BY MYSELF 24/7 FOR YEARS EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD HEALTH POLICES FOR EXTENDED CARE. WHEN IT CAME TIME TO GET EXTENDED NURSERY HOME CARE AS SHE PAID IN HER BLUE CROSS PLUS POLICY THEY GOT OUT OF IT AS THEY CLAIMED IT WAS TIED TO MEDICARE POLICY THAT ONLY ALLOWED SO MANY DAYS IN A NURSING HOME. MY MOM HAD PAID EXTRA FOR THIS POLICY THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO ALLOW HER 1 YEAR COVERAGE BUT I FOUND OUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE WITH ALL THE LOOPHOLES BLUE CROSS HAD. SO BEWARE OF ANY EXTRA CARE POLICIES. ALSO IN HOME CARE IS LIMITED AS WELL. PRIVATE NURSING CARE COSTS AND NURSING HOMES ARE WAY TOO EXPENSIVE FOR MOST PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY. THE COMPLETE BURDEN IS ON FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS. CAREGIVERS HEALTH ALSO SUFFERS BECAUSE OF THIS SITUATION. AFTER WITNESSING SEVERAL BAD INCIDENTS IN NURSING HOMES, HOME CARE IS THE BEST BUT CAREGIVERS NEED TO BE HELPED MORE THAN WHAT THIS COUNTRY IS DOING RIGHT NOW WHICH IS LITTLE.

CAREGIVER of NM 11:48AM September 25, 2012

I and my family were in this situation about 6yrs. ago and I had to choose the Assisted Living Facility for my mother. I had to pay $1,400 a month for assisted while it would have cost $20.00 an hr. for her to stay home. I had to have someone there all the time because of her memory plus I would have had another person to dispense meds. They charged more for that, and they all had a 4hr. minimum. OUCH!

Gladys Reece of IN 5:47PM June 26, 2010

If you need 24 hour monitoring, or capability for help. Consider the $18/hr figure as the low end x 24 hours x 30 days per month = $12,960.... that sure doesn't sound cheaper than the $3,100 for an assisted living community! Sure you could cut back on the number of hours the help is there - I just hope you don't fall when they aren't there, or get stuck in the bathroom needing assistance, or confuse the medications......

Jennifer Cook of OR 5:36PM June 13, 2010

How to Find Affordable Long-Term Care

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