Long-Term Care: Is Private Insurance Right For You?

It’s a task that few of us look forward to: arranging for help to be there if, as senior citizens, we
are no longer able to care for ourselves. For 1.4 million seniors, that care comes in a nursing home
where most residents have their bills paid by the government through the Medicaid program. For
millions of others, that care comes from family members or paid providers, in homes or assisted living
facilities...

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    Medicare and Medicaid (2009)

    Medicare is a multi-part federal health insurance program managed by the federal government. A
    person applies for Medicare through the Social Security Administration, but Medicare's rules are
    written by another federal agency, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), and Medicare
    claims are processed by private insurance companies, called "Fiscal Intermediaries" and
    "Medicare Carriers," that vary from state to state.

    Medicaid helps pay for health care for people who fit within certain categories (such as being a
    child or elderly or disabled or pregnant) and whose income and assets fall within certain limits
    (which vary depending on which category a person fits within). Idaho's Medicaid program
    covers many items and services, including the full range of long-term care. People who have
    Medicare coverage may also qualify for Medicaid. When they do, Medicaid pays for their
    Medicare premiums, deductibles, and co-payments, as well as for many health care items, such
    as dental care, not covered by Medicare.

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      Spotlight on Long-Term Care Insurance: A Private Safety Net?

      As they plan for the time when they may need long-term care, consumers are likely to face some difficult and uncomfortable questions. What would I do if I were no longer able to care for myself? Would someone in my family take care of me, or would I seek care elsewhere? And how would caregivers get paid?...

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