End of Year Checkup?

I'm not talking about a health checkup per se. I'm talking about reviewing your healthcare status. In particular your long term healthcare status. Are you insured enough? Are you over insured?

I'm looking around to find a few good resources to help with this, and will present my results when I'm done. 

Appeal the Appeal

If you are using Medicare or are close to that point, I'm sure you a friend or a friend of a friend who was denied by Medicare. They may even have appealed the denial. Did you know that you can even appeal an appeal that was denied. If you feel that you are not being treated right, take this advice straight from the Medicare FAQ site.

If you disagree with the redetermination decision, you have the right to ask for a second level appeal, called a reconsideration. You should read the redetermination decision carefully because it will explain how to ask for a reconsideration. A Qualified Independent Contractor (QIC) that didn't take part in the first appeal makes the reconsideration decision. You can also write a letter. Your written request must include the following information:

• Your name
• Your Medicare Health Insurance Claim (HIC) number on your red, white and blue Medicare card
• The specific service and/or items for which a redetermination is being requested
• The date(s) of service
• Your signature or the signature of your authorized or appointed representative

Don't just walk away. It is too important.

How Much Does Long Term Care Cost?

According to most sites in the know, it is going to cost more than most people think. I found a great resource for finding articles on the subject at AARP. Check out their list of articles about the cost of long term care. If you feel that you will have no issues with long term care, I urge you to at least give these articles a read.

Does Medicare Suck?

Of course I don't think Medicare sucks, but I think most will agree that it is confusing, and sometimes the results are not what you would actually expect. For those of you who are unsure how Medicare is supposed to be helping you or where to even find the answers, you should go to the source. How about these links:

U.S. Medicare Official Site

Medicare FAQ

You will find tons of information on Medicare on the Internet, but when it comes to the specific of Medicare and how it relates to your particular situation, you should go to the source.

Ahhh... Even the Government Says to Not Count on Medicaid

Straight from the US Government's Medicare website... the risk that Medicaid will
have insufficient funds to take care of your long term care needs is
"High". Their comments about the risk (taken from their long
term care risks table) are:

- Amount received from Medicaid may not pay all long-term care costs
- Recovery of Medicaid may be made against estate

Ouch!

Is Medicare the Saviour for Your Long Term Care?

The short answer is... Not Likely!

It is a common misconception that once you reach 65 Medicare will be there to get you through any long term care crisis you may encounter. It is true that Medicare was designed to provide medical services to senior citizens. However, there are definite restrictions on how long you can receive services. There are also limits on the types of services you can receive.

With long term private care insurance though, you are far more likely to find that your insurance will cover a wider range of services and definitely for a longer period.

Check out the government's Medicare site to look in to Medicare restrictions. Do this before you need the services too.

Long Term Care Insurance

I've starting considering long term care insurance given the inherent instability of entitlements in the US. Quotes are easy to get with little to no effort or commitment. I recently started linking to services that offered these quotes. Give it a try and see if you can help yourself out.