Long-Term Care Out of Reach for 6.5 Million ‘Near Dual’ American Seniors,” by Dennis Thompson, HealthDay

“About 6.5 million ‘Near Dual’ seniors are struggling to afford long-term care as they grow older and more frail, a new study warns. ‘Near Dual’ seniors are those who are eligible for Medicare but are only at the cusp of eligibility for Medicaid, the federal/state insurance program for the poor, researchers said. … Near Dual seniors have $11,000 to $28,000 in annual income, and less than $26,000 in total assets, the report says. … The research team offered four policy solutions that could help these folks better afford long-term care:

  • Expand Medicare to provide long-term care for seniors based on their needs
  • Provide incentives for states to expand eligibility for Medicaid
  • Increase funding for home repair and modification programs, to help seniors stay in their homes longer
  • Fund community-based programs that directly support vulnerable older adults”

LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform:

This is the big LTC lie: LTC costs are wiping out seniors’ savings so we need big new government programs. The truth is those “near duals” with “$11,000 to $28,000 in annual income, and less than $26,000 in total assets” already qualify easily for Medicaid. Their income is not disqualifying because Medicaid deducts private medical and LTC expenses before applying a low income standard or it allows special trusts to achieve the same purpose. Nor are $26,000 in assets disqualifying as they can be eliminated by purchasing exempt assets. To understand in detail, read Paragon Health Institute’s “Long-Term Care: The Problem” and “Long-Term Care: The Solution” and watch this “virtual LTC event” featuring age wave visionary Ken Dychtwald and leading LTC researchers.