Long Term Care
Long-Term Care (LTC) refers to extended care or services for people with disabilities or long-term illnesses. What you may not realize is:
- Medicare will NOT cover most of these types of services
- LTC Insurance plans are not just "nursing home policies" anymore
- LTC Insurance policies now typically cover nursing homes as well as home health care, assisted living, and adult day care
- These options empower you to choose where you want to live and receive care — control when you and your family need it most!
Glossary
Activities of daily Living (ADL's)
Routines that relate to a persons ability to live independently. These include bathing, eating, dressing, continence, toileting, transferring.
Adult Day Care
Licensed day care program providing care, supervision, and assistance for an individual's activities of daily living.
Accelerated Payment Option
Ability to pay premiums for a set amount of years and the coverage will automatically be renewed for the rest of your life without any further premium payments.
Assisted Living Facility
Independent living facilities that provide on-site services, supervision, and assistance with an individuals activities of daily living.
Benefit Period
The amount of time benefits will be paid under a LTCI policy.
Benefit Eligibility Triggers
Defined requirements that must be satisfied for the LTCI policy to pay claims. Most likely it is the inability to perform a set number of ADL's and/or suffer from a cognitive impairment i.e. Alzheimer's.
Care Coordinator
Licensed care manager that asses your condition, creates a plan of care with your physician, coordinates and monitors ongoing care. Person is usually a Registered Nurse.
Cognitive Impairment
Mental deterioration due to Alzheimer's or other forms of Dementia.
Comprehensive Policy
This policy pays benefits for all levels of care. i.e. Nursing Home, Assisted Living Facilities, and Home Health Care.
Daily Benefit
The maximum daily benefit paid by the policy towards your care.
Elimination Period
The number of days you must wait when you become eligible for benefits before the policy pays the daily benefit.
Home Health Care
Assistance with activities of daily living in your residence.
Inflation Protection
Option to increase original daily benefit by 5% per year credited on a simple or compound basis.
Long Term Care Insurance
A specific type of insurance policy designed to offer financial support in paying for necessary long term care service in a variety of settings.
Medicaid
Joint federal and state welfare program administered by the state to provide payment for health care services for those meeting minimum asset and income requirements.
Medicare
Federal program that provides hospital and medical expense benefits for individuals over age 65 or those meeting specific disability standards.
Non-forfeiture Benefits
Option on a long term care insurance policy that allows the insured to continue receiving long term care coverage if the insured stops paying the premium.
Nursing Home Only Policy
Type of policy that pays for care in a nursing home or similar facility.
Pre-existing condition
Medical condition which you sought treatment for in the previous six months before you purchase the policy.
Skilled Care
Professional type of nursing assistance performed by trained medical personnel under the supervision of a physician of a physician or other qualified medical personnel.
Respite Care
Temporary relief for caregivers.
Waiver of Premium Provision
that allows you to stop paying premium after a specified time while you are receiving benefits.