Long Term Care Financing: A Consumer's Agenda for Action Book

	Introduction	xi
Chapter 1	Long-Term Care and Your Financial Security	1
	The Odds Are 1 out of 2	5
	An Aging America	6
	All Ages Need Long-Term Care	8
	Families in Transition	9
	The Caregiver's Glass Ceiling	12
	Technology and Lifestyle	13
	Why Doesn't Private Insurance Pay More?	14
	Why Doesn't Medicare Pay More?	15
	You Can't Count on Medicaid	16
	Prospects for Government Help	18
	Recent Health Care Reform	19
	IRS-Approved Medical Expenses	21
	The Private Sector Solution	26
Chapter 2	Features of a Good Long-Term Care Insurance Policy	33
	Level of Care	35
	Home Health Care	35
	Assisted Living	40
	Guaranteed Renewable	42
	Prior Hospitalization	42
	Daily or Monthly Benefit	42
	Benefit Period/Benefit Maximum	44
	Joint Policies	51
	Elimination Period (Waiting Period)	52
	Mental Conditions	54
	Waiver of Premium	54
	Inflation Protection	54
	Rates vs. Ratings	58
	The True Cost of Waiting	65
	Savings vs. LTC Insurance	67
	Underwriting	68
	Pre-Existing Conditions	70
	"Free-Look" Period	70
	Non-Forfeiture Options	70
	Assets	73
	Claims	75
	Tax-Qualified or Non-Tax-Qualified	78
	Getting a Claim Paid	81
	Miscellaneous Benefits	81
	Alternate Plan of Care	82
	Hospice	82
	Respite Care	83
	Homemaker Services	83
	Alternate Payer Designation	83
	Impairment Reinstatement	83
	Bed Reservation	84
	Care Coordination	84
	Survivor Benefit	85
	Worldwide Coverage	85
	Coordination with Medicare and Other Insurance	85
	Additional Benefits	86
	Policy Improvements	86
	Your Customized Benefit Selection Process	87
	The "Bare-Bones"/Best Value Policy for the Premium Conscious	92
Chapter 3	Long-Term Care: The New Employee Benefit	95
	Productivity Insurance	100
	Lifestyle Insurance	106
	Long-Term Care Insurance Is Not "Senior Citizen Insurance"	113
	Tips for Benefit Choices in Group Plans	116
Chapter 4	The Partnership for Long-Term Care	119
Chapter 5	The Medicaid Benefit for Long-Term Care	129
	The Problem	129
	Income Eligibility Criteria	130
	Asset Eligibility Criteria	135
	Transferring Assets--The Myth	138
	Why Transferring Assets Can Be a Bad Idea	141
	Estate Recovery	142
	The Bigger Problem--The Criminal Side Revisited	144
	The Biggest Problem	146
	Long-Term Care Insurance--A Better Way	148
Chapter 6	Alternatives for Financing Long-Term Care	151
	Accelerated Death Benefits	151
	Traditional Viatical Settlements	154
	The Viatical Settlement Process	156
	Viatical Settlements vs. Accelerated Death Benefits	158
	Viatical Settlements vs. Long-Term Care Insurance	159
	Life Settlements	160
	Single Premium Life/Long-Term Care Policies	162
	Effect of the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)	165
	Long-Term Care Insurance and Estate Planning	166
	Long-Term Care Annuity	168
	Variable Annuity/LTC Policies	172
	Reverse Mortgages	174
	People Who Do Not Qualify for Long-Term Care Insurance	179
	Where Do I Go From Here?	181
Appendix A	Senior Benefits	183
	Medicare Benefits	185
	Enrolling for Medicare	185
	Two Parts of Medicare	186
	The Medicare Gaps	188
	Medicare-Approved Charges	190
	Be Informed	192
	Appeals	192
	2000 Medicare Benefits	194
	Medicare Part A	194
	Medicare Part B	196
	Expenses Not Covered by Medicare	198
	Medicare Supplement Policies	199
	Do You Need a Medicare Supplement?	199
	Can You Self-Insure Balances to Medicare?	201
	Disabled Individuals Under Age 65	202
	Federal Guidelines for Medicare Supplements	202
	Standard Plans	204
	Features of a Good Medicare Supplement Policy	205
	Guaranteed Renewable	205
	Rating of the Insurance Company	206
	Pre-Existing Conditions	206
	Underwriting	206
	Open Enrollment	207
	Premiums	208
	"Free-Look" Period	208
	Multiple Policies	208
	Benefits	209
	Excess Physician Charges	209
	Miscellaneous Benefits	209
	Claims	211
	Appeals	211
	Managed Care for Medicare Supplements	213
	Medicare Select	213
	Managed Care Medicare Plans	215
	New Medicare+Choice Plans	217
	Enrollment and Disenrollment	217
	What Kind of Choices Will You Have?	218
	You Do Not Have to Switch	220
	Benefits	221
	What If I Don't Like a Medicare+Choice Plan?	222
	Want to Know More?	222
	The Silver Lining in the Managed Care Opportunity	223
Appendix B	Who to Call for Help	225
	Directory of State Insurance Departments, Medicaid and Aging Agencies	227
	Useful Web Sites	257
Appendix C	Sources	259
	Sources for Introduction	260
	Sources for Long-Term Care and Your Financial Security	261
	Sources for Features of a Good Long-Term Care Insurance Policy	269
	Sources for Long-Term Care: The New Employee Benefit	271
	Sources for The Partnership for Long-Term Care	277
	Sources for The Medicaid Benefit for Long-Term Care	278
	Sources for Alternatives for Financing Long-Term Care	280
	Sources for Appendix A: Senior Benefits	281