Did you know that Long Term Care Insurance can be used to pay for care by a certified home health aide? As a provider of in-home care for people who need assistance to remain in their homes, we at Gratitude Homecare know that often families in need of this type of care are unaware that Long Term Care insurance can be used to help cover the cost.

If you purchased long-term care insurance in the past, it’s likely you had a specific scenario in mind. Perhaps you envisioned that it would cover the costs of a nursing home, or assisted living facility at some point in the future. But these are not the only options that long-term care insurance covers. If you are unable to live in your home without assistance, long-term care insurance can be used to pay for the services of a home health aide, allowing you to remain in your home where you are most comfortable. There is no need to feel ‘forced’ from your home in order to take advantage of this benefit. Remaining at home should be considered a real option for you or your loved one when faced with a situation where extra help is needed.

Features of Long-Term Care Insurance

It is important to understand what your long-term care insurance will cover because policies vary widely. In our experience, families find it helpful to sit down with our insurance specialist to review the specific plan and assess what is available to them. Based on this, the family can develop a practical plan based on what is actually covered and be comfortable knowing that the right kind of care is available when needed with no unnecessary delays.

The features that your plan likely has includes:

• The specific conditions that need to be met by the insured in order to activate the policy – possibly based on the ability to perform selected activities of daily living, cognitive impairment, or a determination by a physician that care is medically necessary.

• The maximum amount of coverage per day. This may vary based on where care is delivered.
• The waiting period, which is also known as an “elimination period.” This is the amount of time after activation of the plan before a payment is made. This period could vary from 30 days to 120 days. During this period, expenses must be covered ‘out of pocket.’
• The length of time the benefit is paid (benefit period), which could range from a couple of years to lifetime coverage.

There may be other features or limitations depending on the specific long-term care plan.

Use Long-Term Care Insurance to Pay for Services

Upon activation, long-term care payments may be assigned directly to a provider such as a home health agency in order to cover the cost of care. You would then make up the difference (if any) between the long-term care payment and the actual cost of care. Alternatively, you can accept payment from the insurance company and pay the home health agency the full cost.

If you or your loved one is faced with a situation where you believe additional support is needed, whether in-home or in an independent or assisted living center, don’t hesitate to reach out to Gratitude Homecare. We provide supportive care in Northern New Jersey and we have long-term care insurance specialists who can work with you to determine how your long-term care coverage can help meet your needs. We can be reached at 551-284-3777, or complete this form and someone will contact you quickly.