Whoops! Medicare Fails To Tell Your Mother and Father It Won't Pay for Their Long-Term Care...

Health/Medical Writers

MADISON, Wis.--(BW HealthWire)--Sept. 11, 2001

According to the most recent CareQuest national study, sixty-three percent (63%) of those aged 65 and over in the U.S. either do not know or have incorrect information about Medicare coverage for long-term

care. That's a crisis according to Robert Pearson, CEO of CareQuest National Work & Family LTC Solutions. He also stated that unless the government formally notifies all Medicare Beneficiaries that long-term care is not covered by their Medicare health benefits, the problem will only get worse.

"There's a good chance your parents don't understand that Medicare or their private supplement insurance won't help pay for their quickly-approaching long-term care needs," said Pearson. "This lack of knowledge or denial has a huge liability attached that has created a crisis for Mom, Dad, the kids...even people unrelated are going to get involved by paying for our collective lack of knowledge."

People need to know the facts so they can financially plan or purchase long-term care insurance before it's too late. Almost half of all people aged 65 and over will require some form of long-term care in the future at a cost most cannot afford. You can have the best private long-term care financing solutions in the world, but if people are allowed to believe the government pays for the care, they won't plan or prepare for it themselves and end up on welfare (Title-19 Medicaid).

"Today, with the Long Term Care crisis settling in upon us," said Pearson, "we need top government officials and legislators to step forward - not only to speak out for our mothers and fathers, but for their children, their grandchildren and taxpayers of all ages. The depth of our liability with the Long-Term Care crisis is so much greater compared to the nominal cost of education."

CareQuest, Inc., a national, long-term care solutions company in Madison, WI, commissioned Dr. David G. Wegge to conduct the study; "Perception of Medicare Long-Term Care Coverage Among Those Aged 65 and Over in the United States." The margin of error for the sample of this size is + 4.4% at a 95% level of confidence. This means that the percentages reported in this study should not vary by more than + 4.4% from what the true proportions would be if all people aged 65 and over in the U.S. had been interviewed.

For 12 years, CareQuest has been studying, developing and testing programs to educate the elderly - and their children - about long-term care. The company offers a proven solution for the long-term care-planning crisis in the workplace and is currently lobbying Congress to take a look. Pearson is encouraging the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to initiate a formal notification program for the vulnerable seniors - and their families - to help avert the crisis ahead.

Pearson started lobbying Congress in 1999 with a White Paper titled, "First Things First with Long-Term Care." Within 60 days, Pearson will introduce his second White Paper. Its purpose is to introduce Congress and top government agencies to tested solutions and immediate methods to stem the continuing lack of knowledge.

"This is a multigenerational crisis," he said. "It affects the elderly, their children, grandchildren - and their collective estates. We're hopeful that if we can garner the cooperation of CMS, Social Security Administration and state governments, we can confidently move forward with an aggressive, innovative Bridge-Link program so taxpayers won't have to deal with this issue long term. But we have to act soon...nobody's getting any younger."

CareQuest is the national leader in cutting-edge long-term care and eldercare solutions for the workplace since 1985. Its studies and reports to Congress have helped impact the direction of the long-term care industry. CareQuest is not owned or operated by any insurance company or care provider, allowing it to offer only the best, unbiased and most appropriate professional services and financial options to the employer, employee and their family members.

For a copy of CareQuest's latest study, "Perception of Medicare Long-Term Care Coverage Among Those Age 65 and Over in the United States," please call 800-327-7138, email: info@Bridge-Link.com or write: Report, CareQuest National Work & Family LTC Solutions, 583 D'Onofrio Drive, 103, Madison, Wisconsin 53719.

Employers, Associations, Benefit Consultants and insurance agents who wish to investigate long-term care workplace solutions please call 800-327-7138, or email: info@Bridge-Link.com and request a Workplace LTC Solution packet. For those who work with individuals in the non-group market please request our Personal LTC Solutions packet.

News Reporters: for background information go to: www.bridge-link.com/who.htm