Washingtonians for a Responsible Future

Next Avenue:

When policymakers, health care analysts and financial journalists talk about the staggering costs of long-term care, it’s often wonky, devoid of humanity. We throw around statistics like this one from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: 52 percent of individuals turning 65 will require long-term care supports and services at some point in their lives. But at a Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) webinar yesterday pegged to its new report on long-term care financing solutions, family caregiver MaryAnne Sterling poignantly revealed the financial, physical and mental tolls that long-term care can take.

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Forbes Personal Finance:

For three years, I’ve been working with a diverse group of policy experts to create a consensus framework for financing long-term supports and services (LTSS). This morning, the Long-Term Care Financing Collaborative, released its recommendations. And they are built around two major reforms: a new universal catastrophic long-term care insurance program and major improvements to Medicaid’s LTSS benefit.

Our insurance proposal would create an alternative to Medicaid for many middle-income people who now impoverish themselves paying for both long-term care and related medical expenses.

Our plan recognizes that everyone who needs care is not the same. A 45-year old with MS has very different needs than an 85-year-old widow with dementia. Similarly, people with high lifetime incomes should be expected to pay for a share of their care through personal savings, home equity, or private insurance. Others will never have the resources to finance their care.

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The New York Times Health Article:

As Washington debates the relative merits of Obamacare or Trumpcare, many families have already come up with what is arguably the most reliable form of care in America: It’s called daughter care.

The essential role that daughters play in the American health care system is well known but has received little attention. But some health care analysts are beginning to sound the alarm about the challenges women face as caregivers — not just for children but for aging parents — often while holding full-time jobs.

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C.Matti Consulting Blog Post:

The relationship between social security and health care reform is far more intimate than most of us realize. All told, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid provide a sweeping safety-net for the bulk of our nation’s Senior Citizens.

Until recently, many of us have naively clambered our way through working adulthood with some comfort that we too will have some financial security and well-being because of these programs… But–will we?

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The Olympian Opinion-Editorial:

Whether we like it or not, it’s going to happen to all of us — and few are thinking about it or planning for it. We will all age. And at some point, 70 percent of us will need help with activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing and transportation.

As Washington residents, we’re fortunate. We live in a state that’s created an effective and efficient long-term care system. The backbone of our system are tens of thousands of home care workers — those who assist the elderly and people with disabilities in their homes.

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Yakima Herald Opinion-Editorial:

Our population is aging. On average in the nation, 10,000 people a day turn 65. That pace that will continue for the next two decades. As we age, most of us are going to need long-term care. The number of Washingtonians age 85 and older – those most likely to need care – is projected to be 216,000 by 2030. To put the number in context, that is more than double the population of the city of Yakima.

With over 30 years of experience as a long-term care provider, I have learned a profound lesson: Most consumers don’t understand that Medicare and Social Security benefits do not cover long—term care. This is a significant problem. Regardless of whether care is delivered in the home or in a skilled nursing facility, it can cost between $50,000 and $100,000 per year on average.

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The Kitsap Sun Opinion-Editorial:

Last week our State Legislature will hold a hearing on a bipartisan bill, HB 1636: The Long-Term Care Trust Act. It “offers a flexible solution that would help many seniors pay for long-term care services and take some of the pressure off of working family caregivers,” according to co-sponsor Rep. Laurie Jinkins.

We all like to think that we will always be able to take care of ourselves. But as we age, the reality is that most of us will need some form of help with daily activities like dressing, bathing, cooking. Right now there are no good options for covering the cost of this help, known as long-term care.

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The Everett Herald writes:

The numbers are enough to make you feel your age.

About 70 percent of Americans 65 and older will need long-term care services, such as a nursing home or in-home care. Neither Medicare nor most health insurance plans pay for long-term care. Insurance is available but is unaffordable for most, meaning that more than 90 percent of seniors are uninsured for long-term care needs.

While the median retirement savings for seniors are about $136,000, those 65 and older may face average costs of more than $260,000 over their lifetimes for long-time care. The average cost of in-home care in the state is about $56,000 a year and $96,000 annually for nursing home care.

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The Everett Herald Opinion-Editorial:

Today, 142,000 Snohomish County citizens are age 60-plus. The census projects that number will increase to 300,000 by 2030, just 14 years away. A growing number of our older community members will need long-term care, but options now are limited or unaffordable for many. Medicare or private health insurance do not cover these expenses. Many seniors exhaust their life savings for these services and many don’t have family to help. This experience creates financial and emotional damage and pain.

The aging of the boomers will challenge the current ways available to fund long term care. A better option is being considered by in Legislature.

The Long-term Care Trust Act (HB 1636), a bipartisan bill, would create a long-term care (LTC) benefit to pay for care without leaving seniors depleted of savings and assets. This bill will provide a mechanism where workers would pay 0.49 percent of their salary into a LTC trust. Seniors would have access to this benefit that would contribute to their LTC costs.

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The Seattle Times Opinion-Editorial:

WHEN it comes to Washington’s aging population, time is not on our side. It’s a fact of life that as we age, most of us are going to need long-term care at some point. These services are not covered by Medicare and cost between $50,000 and $100,000 a year on average.

The statistics are sobering. Across the United States in 2011, 75 million baby boomers began entering retirement age. An average of 10,000 people a day turn 65, a pace that will continue for the next two decades. The number of Washingtonians age 85 and older — those most likely to need care — is projected to be 216,000 by 2030. That’s more than the population of Tacoma.

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