Mark Warshawsky, National Affairs: Financing Long-Term Care
Directs public program resources to those who cannot afford care and otherwise encourages self-reliance among those who could afford care through private funds or insurance.
Directs public program resources to those who cannot afford care and otherwise encourages self-reliance among those who could afford care through private funds or insurance.
Develop and finance a universal home care benefit program for Medicare beneficiaries, which would have a measurable impact on access for individuals with functional and/or cognitive impairments who do not financially qualify for Medicaid.
Federal Catastrophic Long-Term Care Insurance. Presents a mix of publicly funded programs and private insurance approaches to financing LTSS as a package of solutions designed to be financially and politically viable.
Goal to develop complementary public-private LTSS financing solutions focused on front-end protection provided by the state. Identifies three promising areas for increased financing and delivery opportunities: Medicare expansion solutions, Technology solutions, Public and private LTC insurance solutions.
Focuses on an analysis of social insurance solutions and intended as a roadmap for state policymakers. Identifies the key design issues for consideration in the design of a social insurance
program for LTSS. Speaks to the preliminary design and concepts of the Washington State LTSS social insurance program, Washington Cares (WA Cares).
Goals are to make private coverage more affordable for middle-income buyers, relieve
pressure on Medicaid budgets.
Goals to develop a fairer and more rational financing system to ensure access to quality LTSS. Recommends a flexible and universal LTSS insurance program grounded in the principles of shared risk and consumer flexibility. Re-directs health and LTC dollars already
in the system and creates new funding that relies on a universal public catastrophic
insurance program that insures against the risk of long periods of high need.
To assess alternative LTSS financing options and better understand how policy changes
could expand the role of insurance.
Recommends a combination of public and private sector reforms: Universal catastrophic insurance program of financial support for those with extended LTC needs. Various initiatives to revitalize the private LTC insurance market to better address non-catastrophic care needs. Stronger support for family caregivers. Modernization of the Medicaid safety net for LTSS.
Section 643 of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 directed the Commission to develop a plan for the establishment, implementation, and financing of LTSS for individuals, including older adults, those with cognitive or functional limitations, and others who require assistance to perform ADLs.