Long term care insurance is becoming a must have. I probably shouldn’t even say “becoming” – it is a must have. Medicare does not cover home-based care, and only provides 90 days of nursing home care. In Virginia, Medicaid does cover nursing home care, but to qualify for Virginia Medicaid you must spend down your income and assets to the state poverty level, which isn’t much.
The reality is that in this day and age it is irresponsible not to have long term care insurance. We are living longer and, thanks to modern medicine, are living longer with more serious diseases that require care our families are not able to provide alone.
The Clinic has just started offering LTC insurance, and the agents from John Hancock came today to explain the ins and outs and meet with us individually to discuss our options. My agent is a nice guy named Steve. He’s 32, but looks like he’s 12. No joke. True stroy: he was carded three years ago. FOR AN R-RATED MOVIE. But I digress.
I met with Steve and went over my medical history with him: depression, anorexia, bulimia. To which he said, “Well Anna, it was nice to meet you. I can give you an estimate of what LTC insurance would cost you if you’re approved by underwriting, but you’re not going to be approved, so lets not waste each other’s time. Ok?”
I guess people with mental illness just aren’t allowed to get old and need long term care. Because that’s fair, right?
