Should You Buy a Long-Term-Care Policy? - Brief Article

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), August, 1999

"Paying for long-term care is a sleeping issue for Americans, but they are beginning to wake up," indicates Anne Werner, president of United Seniors Health Cooperative, Washington, D.C. While 67% of Americans say the cost of long-term care is the greatest threat to their standard of living, just 35% have done any planning for it, according to a survey by The National Council on the Aging.

The decision to buy long-term-care insurance can be complicated. More than 100 companies sell such policies, and guidelines about who should buy this coverage vary among insurance professionals.

Help is now available, though. The 1999 edition of the consumer guidebook, Long-Term-Care Planning: A Dollar and Sense Guide, published by United Seniors Health Cooperative, provides a comprehensive overview of long-term care. It covers many financial and family issues related to home care, assisted living, nursing homes, private long-term-care insurance, and other important topics. For instance, the book recommends that consumers consider buying long-term care only if they own assets of at least $75,000 (excluding home and automobile); have annual retirement income of at least $25,000; can pay premiums without adversely affecting lifestyle; and can absorb possible premium increases without financial difficulty.

The guide features an easy-to-use worksheet to help compare features and premiums of insurance policies, as well as a listing of useful informational resources at the end of each chapter. For further information, call 1-800-637-2604.