As Deficit Reduction Threatens Long-Term Care Support, Private Group Steps in to Bolster Government Intentions

KIRKLAND, Wash., Aug. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With federal purse strings tightening, Americans are likely to need a mix of private and diminished government resources to pay for their long-term care. To help people achieve the right mix, free presentations are being offered nationwide by LTC Financial Partners, LLC (LTCFP), one of the country's largest long-term care insurance agencies.

"It looks like Americans will need to rely more on themselves, and less on Uncle Sam, when they need help with the tasks of daily living," says Denise Gott, LTCFP's Chairman of the Board. "That's why we're offering our free seminars and talks, to reassure people and spell out all the options."

The first phase of the August 2 deficit reduction agreement exempted Medicaid and Medicare, and did not target the CLASS Act, the upcoming public option for long-term care insurance. But all three programs may be targeted in phase 2 of the agreement, which calls for $1.5 trillion additional cuts, to be specified by Congress two days before Christmas. If Congress fails to agree on specific cuts, across-the-board cuts will be triggered.

"It looks like we're moving into an era of more self-reliance," says Gott. "Government assistance will still be there, but we'll need to take on more of the responsibility ourselves." This can be scary for hard-pressed citizens, but "adequate help is at hand," says Gott. "There are multiple ways to afford the care you need; you've just got to get informed and plan ahead." That's the point of the 30-minute presentations, which detail multiple available resources:

• Medicare for skilled services,
• Medicaid for unskilled care services in nursing homes (for people who have exhausted their assets),
• Private insurance for in-home or nursing home care,
• The CLASS Act, the public option for long-term care insurance for working people, which may start operation after October 2012 (if it survives the cost-cutting ax),  
• Self-financing of care services through savings, and
• Volunteer care services, usually provided by a family member.

"The right mix differs for every family and company," says Gott. "We're here to help everyone relax, learn, and do what's right in their situation."

Event planners may find and request local speakers at http://web.ltcfp.com/ltcfp/consumer.aspx or by calling (855) LTC-YEAR.

LTCFP is a co-founder and sponsor of the "3 in 4 Need More" campaign -- www.3in4needmore.com -- which seeks to alert Americans to the long-term healthcare crisis, and to multiply the number protected by long-term care planning. LTCFP's free presentations draw upon and support the "3 in 4" message.

Together with the 3 in 4 Association, LTCFP also actively seeks the best of public-private collaboration. "Legislators have the right intentions," says Gott. "They want to help Americans live lives free of long-term care concerns, but they may not have the financial means to do all they want. So we're backing them up."

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- Photo Caption: LTC Financial Partners National Sales Manager and Chairman of the Board Denise Gott.

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SOURCE LTC Financial Partners, LLC