Medicare Long Term Care Options for 2012

A few options are available for long term care and how to pay for it in Medicare for 2012. You would have total control over how to pay for your long term care if you used your savings, but that is a risky chance to take. You could go through a local or community group to have long term care covered or you could purchase coverage outside of Medicare.

If you are one of the unfortunate people that doesn’t have the other options, there are a few things for you to think about.

1. Medicaid: You have the option of more coverage through Medicaid as they are a combination of state and federal aid groups.

2. VA: You can often get the long term benefits that you need through the Veterans assistance programs.

3. PACE (Programs of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly): You can stay in the community and get the nursing home level care that you need with this Medicaid and Medicare program.

4. The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Program: Living as independently as possible is the goal here and this national voluntary program will do everything to make it possible. CLASS isn’t available yet. Eligible working adults will be able to enroll in the CLASS program when it begins. Enrollees who meet certain eligibility requirements (including at least a 5-year vesting period and the need for assistance with activities of daily living) will have access to the benefit.