John Hancock Announces Results of 2011 National Long-Term Care (LTC) Cost Study

BOSTON, April 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- John Hancock Financial (John Hancock) today announced the results of its 2011 cost of care study, which found that long-term care (LTC) costs have continued to increase, but not as much as other goods and services.

The study, conducted by LifePlans Inc., based in Waltham, MA, surveyed more than 11,000 providers, including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and home health care agencies, in key cities across the country.  Its findings revealed that the national average annual cost of care in the U.S. is $85,775 for a private room in a nursing home; $75,555 for a semi-private room in a nursing home; and $39,240 for an assisted living facility. The average cost of care received at home was approximately $20 per hour.

To understand how long-term care costs are trending over time, John Hancock calculated a 9-year average based on a comparison of data gathered from providers across the country for John Hancock's 2002, 2005, 2008, and 2011 Cost of Care Surveys.  These 9-year average annual increases in the cost of care in various settings, closely track the long-term average annual rate of inflation, which is 4.1%.(1) Specifically:

• The 2011 average cost of a private nursing home room ($235 a day/ $85,775 annually) has risen an average 3.5 percent per year

• The 2011 average cost of a semi-private nursing home room ($207 a day/ $75,555 annually) has risen an average 3.2 percent per year

• The 2011 average cost for a month in an assisted living facility ($3,270 a month/ $39,240 annually) has risen an average 3.4 percent per year

• The 2011 average cost for a home health aide ($20 hourly/$37,440 annually) has risen an average 1.3 percent per year

"The ongoing effect of the recession on the nest eggs of so many individuals underscores the importance of planning for the future," said Marianne Harrison, President of John Hancock LTC.  "John Hancock believes that long-term care insurance is an integral component of any prudent financial plan.  Our cost of care studies are intended to help people better understand and prepare for their future long-term care needs."

About the 2011 John Hancock Long-Term Care Cost of Care Survey

The John Hancock Cost of Care Survey was conducted by LifePlans, Inc. based in Waltham MA, in 2011 and released in April of 2011. The survey represents the costs of more than 11,000 providers across the U.S., including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult day care centers, and home care agencies. The 9-year average trending results are based on a comparison of data gathered from providers across the country for John Hancock's 2002, 2005, 2008, and 2011 Cost of Care Surveys.

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial Corporation

John Hancock Financial is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 22 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and in most of Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, Manulife Financial Corporation offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. For more than 120 years, clients have looked to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking solutions for their most significant financial decisions. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$475 billion (US$478 billion) as at December 31, 2010.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '0945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers a broad range of financial products and services, including life insurance, fixed and variable annuities, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at www.johnhancock.com.

Long-term care insurance is underwritten by John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.), Boston, MA 02117 (not licensed in New York) and in New York by John Hancock Life & Health Insurance Company, Boston, MA 02117. Group long-term care insurance is underwritten by John Hancock Life & Health Insurance Company, Boston, MA 02117.

(1) As measured by the Consumer Price Index for All-Urban Consumers (CPI), over the 50-year period ending 12/31/10.

SOURCE John Hancock Financial