Those who contribute to their long-term care coverage
could see a federal benefit for care under a new joint proposal from the
American Health Care Association, the National Center for Assisted Living, and
the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care.
The new plan, announced Tuesday, would ask participants
to arrange for a $100,000 contribution to their long-term care through personal
savings or through LTC insurance (based on an income-related sliding scale). Once
these funds have been depleted, the federal benefits will kick in. Benefits can
be received in the form of facility services, enrollment in a Medicare
Advantage program or cash.
Proponents of the plan hope that increased personal
investment will help alleviate projected budgetary shortfalls in the Medicare
and Medicaid programs. Details about the new plan can be found at
http://www.aqnhc.org/email/20080115_2.html.