Retirement Healthcare and Medicare
Retirement expert Bob Carlson’s research and knowledge on how to get the most out of healthcare options
Found 315 Articles.
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Seeking Alternatives to Traditional Long Term Care Insurance
The crisis in long-term care insurance is causing people to look for alternatives to traditional LTCI. There are a few options, but you want to consider them care-fully before deciding on a plan. Each option has its own disadvantages. In our January and March visits we documented how some insurers are raising premiums on LTCI […]
Assessing Medicare Proposals
It’s no secret that the current Medicare system is unsustainable, or it shouldn’t be a secret. That’s why there are a number of proposals and laws to change the system. There’s a great deal of confusion and misinformation about the different proposals, of course. Here’s an article with an analysis of the main proposals out […]
Finding the Bargains in Long Term Care Insurance
People who should consider buying long-term care insurance often report that they don’t because they believe it’s too expensive. LTCI is more costly than it needs to be because people make two critical mistakes when evaluating it. Avoid those mistakes, and you might find LTCI is more affordable. The first mistake is that people don’t […]
Avoiding Key Medicare Traps
Every government program has its technical requirements and details. Make a mistake or overlook a key point, and you lose some benefits or pay a penalty. Medicare is no different, but the consequences of an error can be very expensive. Here are some frequent mistakes to avoid. Medicare wants you to sign up when you’re […]
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Reading the Stats on Long Term Care
There are a lot of misleading and incomplete statistics quoted about long-term care. You need the complete story to estimate your future LTC costs and establish a plan. A frequently-quoted statistic is that 50% to 70% of Americans over 65 will need some LTC. The key word is “some.” LTCI covers care required when a […]
Dealing with the Turmoil in Long Term Care Insurance
Long-term care insurance is in turmoil. We’ve been tracking and reporting on developments for a while. (See our January 2011 visit.) Insurers are dropping out of the market. Some insurers are increasing premiums substantially on long-term policyholders. LTCI is harder to obtain, and premiums for new policies are higher for the most part than a […]
Crisis in Long-Term Care Insurance?
Headlines the last couple of months pointed to serious problems in long-term care insurance (LTCI). The Wall Street Journal blared: “Long-Term-Care Premiums Soar.” This shortly was followed by news that a major player in LTCI, MetLife, was stopping the sale of new policies. The first article detailed sharp proposed premium increases on existing policies by […]
Paying for the Health Care Changes
The first major effects of last spring’s health care reform, we’ve said for some months, will be seen in Medicare Advantage plans. Other parts of Medicare also will feel early effects from the new law. The first changes are here, and it’s time to review them and consider the likely future changes. The Medicare Advantage […]
