Tips for long term care planning for every age

Did you know that nearly everyone will be touched by a long term care situation, either their own or with a close family member? Research from the U.S. government has found that the number of people who will need long term care in their lifetime is rapidly increasing. In 2008, the government found that about 9 million Americans over the age of 65 would need long term care services. By 2020, that number will increase to 12 million. While most people who need long term care are age 65 or older, a person can need long term care services at any age! Forty percent of people currently receiving long term care are adults 18 to 64 years old.*

If you’re unprepared, long term care can have drastic effects on you and your family – physically, mentally and financially.

Whether you’ve just started saving or have been building your nest egg for years, right now you may feel that your financial future is a bit uncertain. With 401(k), savings and investment portfolios worth significantly less today than just months ago, it’s important to safeguard as much for your retirement as possible. The average cost of one year in a private nursing home room ($76,460) is 59% more than the median household income in the United States ($48,201).** This statistic makes it clear why being prepared for a long term care event should be as much of a part of your financial plan as your retirement is.

“Particularly in today’s economy, people should educate themselves about the many choices and opportunities they have for themselves and their families to meet the challenges of living a long life – and ensuring the best quality of life that they can,” said Genworth spokesperson Wendy Boglioli. “Issues of economics and health care go hand-in-hand, starting at a personal level and on up to a national level for our new President and his advisors. We owe it to ourselves to play an active role in planning our financial futures.”

As President Obama and the Congress begin to shape a new healthcare platform, consumers will begin to see a sharp distinction between what might be covered under health care proposals and the spectrum of care covered by a long term care insurance policy.

“Even those Americans who once thought they could self-insure for long term care may not be able to now, considering the recent downturn of our financial markets,” Boglioli said. “This certainly points to the wisdom of educating yourself about all the options and making the decision that’s best for you and your family.”

Following are the steps to take throughout the decades of your life to be prepared:

TAKING CHARGE AT ANY AGE

Here are the top four things you can do to take charge of your health and finances. These are great guidelines that build on each other as you age.

20s – Commit to physical and financial health. A healthy relationship with your body AND your money starts now.

30s – Maintain your medical records and know what’s written in them. Check for red flags and mistakes and ensure you see that they are appropriately addressed.

40s – Review your current insurance policies and investments. Start researching what options are available to you in case of a long term care event and who may provide them. Make sure you have planning documents such as a living will and medical power of attorney. Discuss your wishes with your family should a long term care event occur.

50s and beyond – Put your long term care plan in writing. You can rely on your family, the limited funds of the government, yourself or long term care insurance to pay for the care you may need in the future. Only you – with some careful financial planning – will know what the best option is for you.

Long Term Care Insurance from Genworth Financial

Genworth Financial’s Long Term Care Insurance business helped pioneer the development of long term care insurance in 1974 and has been an industry leader ever since. Long term care insurance is underwritten by Genworth Life Insurance Company, and in New York, by Genworth Life Insurance Company of New York, Administrative Offices: Richmond, Virginia. For more information, visit genworth.com/longtermcare.


The Institute for Health Freedom (IHF) warns that the economic stimulus bill mandates electronic health records for every citizen without providing for opt-out or patient consent provisions. “Without those protections, Americans’ electronic health records could be shared — without their consent — with over 600,000 covered entities through the forthcoming nationally linked electronic health-records network,” says Sue A. Blevins, IHF president.

“President Obama has pledged to advance freedom. Therefore the freedom to choose not to participate in a national electronic health-records system must be upheld,” Blevins says. “Unless people have the right to decide if and when their health information is shared or whether to participate in research studies, they don’t have a true right to privacy.”

IHF calls on Americans who care about health privacy to contact their members of Congress and President Obama to voice their own opinions about the need for opt-out and patient consent provisions, to ensure true patient privacy rights.

Some provisions of the economic stimulus bill include:

  • “The utilization of an electronic health record for each person in the United States by 2014.”
  • “The National Coordinator shall perform the duties…consistent with the development of a nationwide health information technology infrastructure that allows for the electronic use and exchange of information and that…facilitates health and clinical research…”

The federal medical privacy rule promulgated under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) already permits the disclosure of personal health information without patient consent for treatment, payment, and oversight of the healthcare system. IHF has long called for modification of the HIPAA rule to restore patient consent in order to preserve the confidential doctor-patient relationship. The stimulus bill fails to restore patient consent, while at the same time, mandating electronic health records and facilitating the electronic exchange of every American’s health information.

The Institute for Health Freedom (www.ForHealthFreedom.org) is a national nonprofit, educational organization whose mission is to bring the issues of personal health freedom to the forefront of the American health-policy debate. IHF monitors and reports on national policies that affect citizens’ freedom to choose their health-care treatments and providers, and to maintain their health privacy–including genetic privacy.


Methodist Dallas Medical Center has been named the 2008 recipient of the Texas Hospital Association’s Excellence in Community Service Award. The hospital is being honored for its innovative prostate cancer screening and education program. The award was presented Jan. 22 at THA’s annual Leadership Conference in Austin.

The hospital’s prostate cancer screening program has screened more than 50,000 men since 2000, when the program was created. During that time, 200 cases of prostate cancer were identified that otherwise may have gone undetected. The program also has educated more than 122,000 people about prostate cancer.

“With Texas having the highest rate of uninsured citizens in the nation, programs such as this provide lifesaving services to people who otherwise might fall through the cracks,” said Dan Stultz, M.D., FACP, FACHE, president/CEO of THA.

When Methodist Dallas Medical Center launched the program, the hospital was uncertain how it would be received in the challenging targeted demographic area — the southern region of Dallas County. But the unprecedented momentum and impact the Prostate Screening Awareness Program (PSAP) has generated now serves as a model to outreach programs across the country.

“Our community health assessment revealed a huge need for a program to decrease the incidence of prostate cancer in the population we serve in southern Dallas County,” said Michael Arvin, senior vice president and chief development officer, Methodist Health System. “We realized that men were slipping through the cracks because there were not enough access points for them to be screened and educated.”

“Our challenge in southern Dallas County is that it has a high concentration of African American and Hispanic men who are more at risk for prostate cancer than other populations,” Arvin added. “Compounding the problem is that culturally, these groups are much less likely to go to medical facilities for screenings for a variety of reasons. We had to develop a program that brought the services to them.”

Bringing the service to the people instead of expecting the people to come to the service is at the very heart of why the PSAP has been so successful. Creative networking by Methodist Dallas Medical Center has been key to that process.

“We work extensively with church pastors who are advocates for our program with their congregations. We set up on site at local churches offering screenings, education and referral services. The program participants make a connection to our team and are much more likely to pursue follow-up as needed,” said Arvin. “We also take our program to family reunions, barber shops, health fairs and grocery stores and we partner with a wide variety of organizations, including the Methodist Health System Foundation, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the American Cancer Society, Bayer Pharmaceuticals and the Communities Foundation of Texas.” Arvin said one group that has been especially helpful and influential to the cause is 100 Black Men of Greater Dallas, Inc.

The PSAP has two full-time and several part-time staff members, who are assisted by a host of volunteers from agencies that partner with Methodist Dallas for this cause. The program is funded through philanthropic contributions, grants and money that Methodist Dallas allocates for its outreach programs. While the program focuses primarily on prostate cancer, there is an additional objective to identify other serious health threats that can be detected during the screenings.

“PSAP’s mission is to help men in our communities identify medical needs at the earliest stage when treatment is viable and harm can be prevented,” said Arvin.

Texas Hospital Association

Founded in 1930, the Texas Hospital Association is the leadership organization and principal advocate for the state’s hospitals and health care systems. Based in Austin, THA enhances its members’ abilities to improve accessibility, quality and cost-effectiveness of health care for all Texans. One of the largest hospital associations in the country, THA represents more than 85 percent of the state’s hospitals and health care systems, which employ some 340,000 health care professionals statewide. To learn more, visit www.texashospitalsonline.org.

Methodist Health System

Guided by the founding principles of life, learning, and compassion, Methodist Health System (Methodist) uses some of the latest medical technology and research to bring quality health care to individuals and families throughout North Texas. Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Methodist Charlton Medical Center, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, Methodist Midlothian Health Center, and Methodist Family Health Centers are part of the nonprofit Methodist Health System, which is affiliated by covenant with the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. Additional information is available at www.methodisthealthsystem.org.


Biometric Screening, Health Coaching and HRA Participation Grows in 2008

  • Author: Health Informer
  • Filed under: Health News
  • Date: Jan 23,2009

Increased client demand and effective incentives fuel rise in employee engagement

Demand for HealthFitness’ employee health and productivity solutions grew in 2008, due to expanded interest from existing clients and targeted incentives. HealthFitness (NYSE Alternext US: FIT) is an award-winning provider of integrated health promotion and fitness management solutions for on-site and dispersed employee populations.

During 2008, HealthFitness screened 121,868 workers across the country — an increase of 60 percent from 2007. Surveys collected from more than 65,500 participants in 2008 showed 99 percent were satisfied with their HealthFitness screening experience. As a result of participating in the health screening, 98 percent said they planned to take steps toward changing unhealthy behaviors that lead to health risks.

“HealthFitness has a track record for consistently delivering strong client and employee satisfaction, which is a critical factor contributing to our growth,” HealthFitness President and CEO Gregg O. Lehman said.

“Our clients also value our comprehensive suite of services to improve employee health, including our robust incentive solution,” Lehman continued. “In 2008, HealthFitness collaborated with a rising number of clients to identify the right incentive to spur increased participation in screenings, HRAs and health coaching among their unique population. Our results confirm the role that incentives can play in driving employee engagement.”

In 2008, HealthFitness had 236,024 participants complete its INSIGHT(R) Health Risk Assessment (HRA), an increase of 29 percent over 2007, and provided health advising to 93,204 employees — a 162 percent increase over 2007. Additionally, HealthFitness grew enrollment in its EMPOWERED(TM) Health Coaching program by 280 percent, with 18,442 employees in 2008 actively engaged in changing behaviors.

For additional information on HealthFitness’ solutions, visit www.hfit.com.


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