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February 13, 2012
Binyamin Rose: Back to the Bunker: How a life-risking act by a Christian family during the Holocaust saved a family and built a thriving community a world away
Menachem Wecker: Business Schools Teach Real Estate Despite Troubled Housing Market
February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
Feb. 19, 2007
/ 1 Adar, 5767
The high price of long-term care
By
Jan L. Warner & Jan Collins
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Recently, we gave the basics of the different levels of long-term care. This week, we zoom in on the basics of paying for long-term care.
Imagine sitting in a nursing home administrator's office and being told, for the first time, that someone will have to come up with $6,000 to $9,000 per month or your loved one, who needs help with all of his or her activities of daily living, will be discharged. Or sitting in a lawyer's office trying to put together the financial pieces of the puzzle as your loved one is discharged from the hospital to the nursing home. Being hit with the reality of how to pay for long-term care when the length of stay is unknown and the options are limited makes planning most challenging.
Although Medicare, Medigap insurance, and Veterans Administration benefits may provide some time-limited coverage, generally speaking, there are three ways to pay for long-term care over the long haul: (1) private pay from personal income and resources, (2) long-term care insurance, and (3) Medicaid. Each payment method carries with it serious consequences to the family of a person who has long-term care needs.
Because the issues of creating a suitable long-term care plan vary from family to family and from situation to situation, experienced professional advisors who are sensitive to the impact of various consequences on families with varying financial resources are essential. While wealthier families may be able to develop a plan that uses a combination of private pay, insurance, and tax savings, the vast majority of middle-income families find themselves developing plans that use a mixture of out-of-pocket private pay and Medicaid. Families with limited resources are forced to look solely to Medicaid.
Brief synopses of the more obvious advantages and disadvantages of the three methods of pay follow:
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PRIVATE PAY: Private pay over the long haul is not an option for most families because they simply can't afford the current cost of between $5,000 and $10,000 per month to maintain someone in a nursing home. And, keeping a loved one at home with sitters 24/7 costs even more. It is obvious that expenditures like these will quickly exhaust the resources of most elderly persons and their families, especially if the family has financial obligations other than care. While there are some tax breaks available that will reduce or eliminate income taxes, the cost of care is significant.
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LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE: While long-term care insurance is a relatively new product, it works in a manner similar to life coverage. The owner of the policy pays monthly premiums (or sometimes varying forms of lump sums) to the insurance company so that, should long-term care become necessary, the insurance company will foot the bill based on the extent of the coverage purchased. Like life insurance, long-term care insurance spreads the cost of long-term care claims over a large segment of the population, thus lowering the cost to those who need long-term care at the expense of those who do not. While comparatively few Americans now maintain long-term care insurance, as the number of persons who purchase these policies increases, the premium cost of the policies should drop.
But long-term care insurance has disadvantages: (1) Only those in reasonably good health can purchase it; (2) While it is much less expensive than the cost of a nursing home, it is not cheap. In other words, depending on age and health, the cost could easily be several hundred dollars a month; and (3) the terms of the policy should be reviewed thoroughly because the contract may restrict the types of care you receive and/or the facilities you choose.
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MEDICARE AND MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTAL COVERAGE: Generally, your Medicare and Medicare Supplemental coverage will pay up to a total of 100 days in a nursing home following a hospital stay of three days or more, so long as the patient requires rehabilitation or some type of skilled nursing services.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JAN L. WARNER received his A.B. and J.D. degrees from the University of South Carolina and earned a Master of Legal Letters (L.L.M.) in Taxation from the Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a frequent lecturer at legal education and public information programs throughout the United States. His articles have been published in national and state legal publications. Jan Collins began co-authoring Flying SoloŽ in 1989. She has more than 27 years of experience as a journalist, writer, and editor. To comment or ask a question, please click here.
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