The price of long-term care in America is an increasing worry, not just for a Baby Boomer generation coming of retirement age, but also for lawmakers and insurance companies.
In an August 18 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Stuart M. Butler debunks the general assumption that nursing home and long-term care costs are automatically covered by Medicare. He says that policymakers and insurers need to come together to find a workable solution for taxpayers, private companies, and seniors in need of services and supports.
Fortunately, Butler says, bi-partisan think tanks and private insurance companies are beginning to work toward hybrid forms of insurance, resisting the growth of “overmedicalization,” and making long-term care insurance more affordable for younger Americans.
The hope is that these collaborative solutions that will provide support without exhausting elderly Americans’ life savings or forcing them to depend too heavily on family caregivers.
Source: JAMA Network: Coming Together on Long-Term Care
