10/21/2026
Medicare and Long Term Care
I have been spending a good deal of my work time recently speaking with people about Medicare supplemental options for 2027. Some people are new to Medicare; others are on coverage that will not be offered in 2027; and others, just are making certain that they have the best coverage they can get. In each case I try to carefully look at the person’s needs for medical care and their major concerns and then make recommendations that I think are the most appropriate for them. I rely on the Medicare website a lot to get factual information without any bias toward one company or another. Often times I am taken a back with the urgency and concern people have about supplementing Medicare but how most people don’t voice any questions about whether Medicare covers the expenses related to “ after care “ once being released from a hospital after a medical incident. I am borrowing this paragraph directly from the Medicare.gov website and I would hope everyone reads it…..
Long-term care (also called "custodial care" or "long-term services and support") includes medical and non-medical care for people who have a chronic illness or disability. Most long-term care helps with basic personal tasks of everyday life, sometimes called “activities of daily living.” This includes things like:
• Help with personal care assistance (like dressing, bathing, and using the bathroom)
• Home-delivered meals
• Adult day health care
• Transportation
It’s important to start planning for non-medical long-term care now to maintain your independence and make sure you get the care you may need, in the setting you want, now and in the future. If you’re an American Indian or Alaska Native, contact your local Indian health care provider for more information.
How can I find out about long-term care options if I’m currently in a hospital or nursing home? Long-term care is different from skilled nursing facility care. Since most long-term care is non-medical, Medicare and most health insurance, including
Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)
, don’t pay for long-term care services, including care in a nursing home or in the community. Where can I get more information about long-term care?” The answer to the questions raised by these questions is speak with me. As Baby Boomers get older and medical care gets better we are going to be faced with an ever growing group of people who will be alive but not necessarily in a position to care for themselves and this is where a solid plan of long term care insurance comes into focus. Many people are hoping to rely on Medicaid to cover their costs of long term care but as more people draw on the system, we can be certain that state governments will be figuring out ways to stiffen qualification requirements for eligibility. A solid long term care plan is your best protection. Today’s insurance companies offer plain no - frills long term care coverage and they also offer long term care coverage molded into a life insurance policy. In the second time of coverage there are two ways the policy pays 1. If you die 2. If you need long term care services the death benefit becomes the source of funds to pay for long term care needs.
