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Complete Health Care Resources |
Senior Health Care Insurance
by:
William Pritchett
Health Insurance For Seniors On The Net
When a good friend of mine inquired where he could obtain
information about medical insurance for his out-of-state, elderly mother,
I told him to try the Internet.
He reported back to me about a week later, in
desperation: "I am giving up, I am too confused." He had taken on an
overwhelming project with his widowed mother, living in another state. As
the only child, and following the sudden death of his father, it was his
responsibility to care for his mother.
In this world of technology, the family unit is often
living in different geographical areas and the family members are usually
quite involved with their own lives, careers, and families. In addition,
when both parents are alive, often one or both parents are quite
independent and do not require a lot of assistance. As time goes on
things, of course, change, and sometimes change very suddenly. There can
be a crisis, with regard to the health care needs of one or both aging
parents.
With our baby boomers facing this problem in ever
increasing numbers, and with the information highway in full bloom, there
is a definite need for planning.
Protecting your parent's assets and health is a huge and
daunting undertaking, which requires a tremendous amount of education and
practical application. Our seniors face many diverse responsibilities upon
reaching age 65. To name just a few: Estate planning, taxation, Medicare,
social security, wills, insurance, and various other legal and financial
matters. All of these different areas require expertise from accountants,
lawyers, estate planners, insurance agents, home brokers, financial
advisors, and others.
The Internet is a good starting point for most people to
find resources for questions and solutions for your problems. There is,
however, no replacement for good solid intelligent advice from an expert.
Twenty years ago, insurance for elders was sold by "senior insurance
specialists", with just a handful of companies in each state. The programs
were most often Medi-gap or Medicare supplemental policies, which covered
the expenses not covered by Medicare, including hospital and doctor
deductibles, durable medical devices, and non-approved Medicare costs.
Ironically these specialists did not sell a lot of nursing care policies,
even though Medicare paid a national average of less than 2% of these
expenses. With the advent of "financial and estate planning" and more
insurance companies entering this market, a more broad and diversified
product line became available to agents, brokers, planners, and seniors.
Part of this new diversification was the "home health
care plan", sold by itself, and in conjunction with senior health
insurance products. The appeal of the "home health care policy" was that a
senior could stay at home and still receive medical and custodial
benefits, allowing a person to recuperate in the comfort of their own
home.
This was the answer to a huge problem. The last place an
older person wanted to go was a "retirement home", or "rest home", or, God
forbid, the "nursing home." It appeared that seniors could now rely on
this new innovation without worry of having to move out of their home
environment in the event of a health problem.
As with most things," if it is too good to be true"....
The home health care policy is no exception. The problem is, there is not
enough coverage for a lengthy illness or recuperation time. The fact is,
the new trend is toward an "all in one" type facility, allowing for a
variety of levels of care all in one location. In other words a senior
could start off with little or no health care concerns in an independent,
less expensive area, and then go to an assisted living, or nursing care
facility, all within the same compound.
A "nursing home" requires a nurse on the premises 24
hours per day, assisted living is just eight hours. The advantages to this
are financial. The patient or senior is only charged according to the care
level required during the time he or she is admitted to that facility.
Another benefit is it alleviates a lot of planning because the care is
delivered, as it is needed. The medical attention is available to all
residents regardless of their current health.
Some people are offered a lifetime package, which covers
their care for the rest of their life, regardless of their current age. It
also allows for social outlets to an otherwise somewhat isolated group.
On-line shopping services have become a huge business. It is definitely
here to stay and many insurance policies are purchased from Internet
quotes and on-line applications.
There are literally hundreds of thousands of insurance
agents and brokers advertising on the Internet. Most of them will provide
instant on-line quotes and even applications for the potential insured. I
highly discourage a layperson to purchase insurance in this fashion. A
little knowledge can be dangerous.
A long-term care program, with or without insurance
coverage, will only work if the senior has input into the care selection
process. If there are any questions about the accreditation of a facility
please call the "Continuing Care Accreditation Commission at 202-783-7286.
WILLIAM H. PRITCHETT SR.
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