Health Care Reform: Long Term Nursing Care

Does Health Reform Affect Long Term Nursing Care?

This question, about how health reform may affect long term care, is one that should be of pressing concern to people in middle age or seniors. After all, though the good news tells us we may expect to live longer, the bad news is that we can also expect to spend some time a nursing faciity.

Does Medicare Pay For Nursing Care?

Today, Medicare only covers short term nursing care in some circumstances. Medicare does NOT pay for long term nursing care. People must rely upon their own finances, long term care health insurance, or Medicaid for help with these bills. This includes the expense of nursing homes, assisted living, or nursing care at home.

So why doesn’t everybody buy insurance? It may be the cost of long term care insurance. But compared to the costs of not having it, the premiums may not be that much of a burden for middle income families. If you are still trying to decide what you should do, you may want to look at this older article we have posted: Pros and Cons Of Long Term Care Insurance.

Health Reform Updates

So, exactly how will health reform help people afford long term care? Apparently there are a number of clauses that refer to long term care in the bill. I have not seen much discussion of these in the news.

This is from an article on Health Leaders Media:

One of these provisions is the Community Living Assistance Services and Support (CLASS) Act, which was originally introduced by the late Senator Edward Kennedy. The CLASS Act will make long-term care insurance available to all Americans, who will be automatically enrolled with the choice to opt out.

Apprently, after a 5 year waiting period, the plan will provide a $50 a day benefit to people who are enrolled. This benefit will not be enough to cover the costs of an actual nursing facility, which may be 2 – 3 times that, but it is a start. So it would not totally stop people from considering private policies or other alternatives.

 So from what I understand, a person must be enrolled in this plan for five years before they can collect.  This is to keep people from enrolling the day after they have an issue I guess, but really only help those who made long term plans. That is, however, how insuance usually works.

Discuss!

I’m sure this provision will start some conversations. You can always register for free here to tell us what you think!

Related posts:

1. Planning For Senior Nursing and Health Care Assistance
2. Do We Need Long Term Care Insurance?
3. Health Care Reform 2009 Proposals and Debacles
4. Health Care Reform – Fact Check
5. Health Care Reform – A Short History: FDR to Obama

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