WHO PAYS FOR LONG TERM CARE

A poll conducted by the Gallop Organization revealed the following:

• 1 in 5 people believe that Medicare covers extended nursing home care.

• 7 of 8 said they do not know how they would pay for health care in their retirement years.

• 1 in 4 said they did not know how they would pay for extended care in a nursing home if a family member needed it now.

Anyone, no matter what age or state of health, may need long term care services at some point in his or her life. The fact is, few Americans understand what long term care options exist or who pays for care, and as a result, few are taking adequate steps to prepare for the long term care needs they may face in the future. Many people think "someone or something" will pay for their care when they need it because they’ve paid taxes all of their lives.

Today, our nation’s long term care financing system steers people toward impoverishment and reliance on Medicaid, a government assistance program. In the next century, Medicaid will not withstand the demographic tidal wave of aging baby boomers. To avert this looming crisis we must have a fundamental shift to a system that relies more heavily on private long term care insurance. Long term care insurance is a sensible and compassionate way to meet the nation’s long term care needs. It can help protect Americans from financial ruin as they grow older and ease the fiscal burden on state and federal governments.

Nursing Facility Pay Sources	Basic Care Pay Sources
56% Medicaid	38% Basic Care Assistance
35% Private Pay	62% Private Pay (Includes Long
4% Medicare	Term Care Insurance)
4% Long Term Care Insurance
1% Other
Assisted Living Pay Source	Home and Community Based
100% Private Pay (Includes Long	Service Pay Sources
Term Care Insurance)	State Government
Limited service money under	County Government
SPED, Expanded SPED and	Private Pay (Includes Long
Medicaid Waiver	Term Care Insurance)

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Copyright © 2003 North Dakota Long Term Care Association. All rights reserved.
Web site developed & maintained by Pamela Mistelski of North Dakota Long Term Care Association
July 30 2003 || www.ndltca.org/data/wpltc.html