I'm sure many of you will agree with parts of this editorial in today's New York Times. The author states that while Medicare will pay for surgery, tests, hospital stays, ER visits, etc. for the elderly, Medicare does not pay for what the elderly truly need -- "long-term care in a supervised, safe place for frail or demented old people, or for home aides to help with shopping, transportation, bathing and using the toilet."

The main reason I'm circulating this article is for the data about the cost of care for the elderly:

* "Nationwide, the median annual cost of a nursing home in 2010 was $75,000; room and board in an assisted living facility, with no additional help, was $37,500; and the most basic category of home health aide, who can perform no medical tasks, like the dispensing of medication, was $19 an hour."

* "A recent state-by-state study of long-term care, the first of its kind, by a consortium of researchers, has found that this kind of essential help costs anywhere from 166 percent to 393 percent of the average annual income of America’s elderly."

* "By now, you may be wondering if your parents have a half million dollars for old age. Or if you or your children do."

* "70 percent of the elderly will need extended care before they die."

Here's a link to the article.

Robin




http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/16/opini ... derly.html

New York Times
Published: October 15, 2011

OPINION
How Medicare Fails the Elderly
By Jane Gross

How sobering.

I hope I never have to use my long-term care insurance but I'm sure glad I have it.

I'm always dismayed when I see an article like this. I know Medicare did not cover many things but I also know that they paid [a lot] for me to keep Mr Bobby in our home where they sent assistance to help. To name a few of their services: A shower and clean bedding twice a week [all he wanted]. An R.N. as needed and alway supervised his care, making sure his needs were met and reported to the doctor... in the final eighteen months, I did not need to take him to the doctor for office visits because Dr W. and Geriatric Psychiatrist always knew what the progress, or decline was. On the few times that an ambulance was needed after a fall or worse, Medicare paid for the ambulance. They sent Phycal Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Social workers, etc. When he needed to use a catherater between visits to the hospital, a nurse came on a Sunday afternoon to teach me the basics. I'm sure that during the twelve years that I cared for him, there were other things such as bandages and first aid supplies, that I cannot recall at this time but I just need to say they were a tremendous help and blessing for me.

When a hurricane approached they always gave me a call to make sure we had someone to care for us.

Some of the long winter months, the nurses and aids were my main social contact. They were my friends from Medicare.

I often wondered, what did we do to deserve such help? It was not easy caring for Mr Bobby but it would have been impossible without the help of Medicare.

I'm not advocating against buying into long term care [my children have their plans in place,thankfully] in fact, I wished we would have had it but we didn't so we did the best we could and I would like for others to hear a first hand account.
I have no idea what the new rulings will be. We live in a different time, but for the past this is the was it was.

Dorthea

DrP,
I think you also got help from the VA, right?
Robin

Yes, VA sent Aid and Assistance for the last three months of his life. Someone came for five hours three days a week.

DrP