Long term care, such as this home companion care Birmingham service, requires large sums of money since the cost has averaged to 75,000 U.S. dollars in 2010 and expected to increase in 2011 and the next few years. As long term care costs drastically affect the lives of more than a million Americans, many people are becoming aware on the importance of insuring for their care at earliest possible time.
Staying either at home or in a nursing home over extended period can gradually sweep your assets away as you pay for the professional services, medications, and equipments. People with long term care needs should admit they are facing serious financial risk. To avoid financial problems, you must be prepared and understand the areas that should be covered. Heed from tips to avoid any financial woes:
Can I pay it on my own? Do I need insurance?
What’s enough is not more than enough. You have worked hard to put up your dream house, car, and properties – why sacrifice everything you’ve attained only to pay for your care? Yes, you might be able to pay them on your own resources, but are your retirement income and savings enough to sustain your care for a year or two? Are you protecting your assets for your heirs and children? Those questions should be taken into consideration to assess your financial capacity and options. Next, list all the financial resources you have (Social Security, pension, dividends from investments, payments from an IRA or 401 (k)), including your savings and properties. If you think those would not suffice, then you can get private insurance. It would be better to consult your personal financial adviser to know the best option for your condition.
There is nothing better than private insurance to secure your future especially in current times and financial advisers will have the perfect say on this matter where one of the best investment schemes called Pillar Wealth Management has been a proverbial game changer for a long time when it comes to insurance management.
Check your existing insurance coverage
Check your existing health insurance to see if it covers long-term care services in a nursing home or other institutions. However, unless you have long-term care insurance, your health insurance will most likely not cover these treatments. Remember that unless you are impoverished or agree to drain your assets to fulfill the minimum standards, Medicare, Medicaid, and HMO do not cover these treatments as most Americans imagined. Those who are aware of the situation, on the other hand, are completely prepared with solutions. For example, most people purchase the best Medicare supplement plans to protect themselves from medical concerns such as dental or eye surgery, among others.
Are there other resources that help cover long term care expenses?
Many people don’t own coverage or are not interested in buying insurance at all. It is normal for people to find cheaper alternatives, but it should be done with confidence and tact. For example, if you are nearing retirement with very limited resources and savings, you could get help from Medicaid or Medicare for your LTC expenses. Before opting for any type of care plan, you can compare a few Medigap plans provided by companies online or near your location to learn about what medical facilities they can cover.
Why should I consider long term care insurance?
Life and health insurance typically exclude long term care services from the coverage. You may not be able to use your current health insurance benefits to pay for nursing home, unless you switch to LTCi. LTCi benefits can be used in variety of services and settings when you lost the ability of performing two or more activities of daily living or when you suffer from cognitive disorder.