November is Long Term Care Insurance Awareness Month

by Ellen Behm

 

Why Purchase LTC Insurance?

  • With Americans living longer, the need for long term care is great. 70% of people turning 65 can expect to use some form of long term care during their lives.*
  • The cost of long term care continues to increase each year. LTC Insurance can help cover these costs. The average cost of care in a nursing home in Western New York is $132,648/year.  In the Long Island area, it is $166,008/year.** Click this link https://nyspltc.health.ny.gov/rates.htm to find the cost of care in your area.
  • Caregiving is not a short-term proposition: While almost half of caregivers have been providing care for their loved ones for more than three years, one in four has been doing it for five or more years.***
  • LTC Insurance can help ease the financial, emotional, and physical strain your care can put on your loved ones.
  • LTC Insurance can help you maintain your freedom and give you the control to determine how and where you receive care.
  • LTC Insurance can help to protect the assets you have worked so hard to build.

 

Important Features to Look for in a LTC Insurance Policy

  • Tax Qualified - affords you tax advantages including a state tax credit of up to 20% depending on your income, as well as federal tax deductions based on age.
  • Cash Benefit – receiving a portion of your policy in cash can be very helpful as you develop a more permanent plan of care.
  • Home Health Care options – to help keep you in the comfort of your home for as long as possible.
  • Facility Care – ideally one that will pay to reserve your bed should you need to leave the facility for any reason. You don’t want to have to leave your “new home” after settling in.
  • Compound Inflation options – to build your benefit amounts to help prepare for the increasing costs of care in the future.
  • Built-in Care Coordinator – a licensed health care professional to help you and your loved ones create an individualized plan of care to meet your specific needs.
  • Included benefits such as Respite Care, Waiver of Premium, and an International Benefit.
  • Optional benefits for partners applying together to maximize your care and benefits.

 

 

 

 

 

*2019 US Department of Health and Human Services, www.longtermcare.gov

 

**2021 New York State Partnership for Long Term Care, https://nyspltc.health.ny.gov/rates.htm

 

***The Senior Care Index Report - Care.com