Long Term Care Health Insurance

Posted in Health Insurance

January 13th, 2009

If you are injured and cannot perform everyday tasks such as bathing or walking for an extended period of time, you may be in need of long term care health insurance. This type of insurance is designed to provide care and services for those who need extra help and medical care due to an illness or accident. Long term care health insurance may also be beneficial for a patient needing care due to a chronic medical condition or physical disability. The phrase long term is not about the duration of the policy, but the length of medical services due to the illness or condition. It can last a few months or the lifetime of the patient, depending on the individual situation.

What Types of Services Are Offered by a Long Term Care Health Insurance Plan?

The types of services offered by a long term care health insurance policy are varied and depend on the patients needs. If a patient suffers from injuries due to an accident and is expected to make a full recovery, this insurance may cover services such as physical therapy or transportation needs. If someone is suffering from a long-term illness, such as Alzheimers disease, assistance with everything from eating to administering medication may be provided. The types of services provided by a long term care health insurance plan can be specifically catered to a patients medical and personal needs. Sometimes, a patient may only need household errands attended to. Other times, a full-time nurse may be a necessity for more demanding health care needs.

The Importance of Purchasing Long Term Care Health Insurance

In many situations, long term care health insurance is not something most people plan on purchasing. Not many people expect to become incapacitated from an accident or disease. Others feel there will always be someone there to care for them if needed. The outcome of this type of thinking is that many people are left without medical coverage and will then be responsible for paying overwhelming medical expenses. Long term care health insurance may guarantee that certain medical costs are covered and a professional care provider is available.

A regular health insurance plan or Medicare may only cover limited long term care costs. Purchasing a separate long term policy means knowing someone will be there to care for you when you may not be able to care for yourself.