Important Two Reason Get Long Term Healthcare Insurance

Likes to think about the time when we may feel so helpless and be dependent on others for care, and so the idea of purchasing long term healthcare insurance, especially when that time seems so far away, is something that is very easy to let slip to the bottom of our inbox.  But there are some very good reasons to begin thinking about this sooner than later.

Health Care Costs

Right now, the monthly median price for an Assisted Living Facility is about $3300.  But this is actually relatively low compared to other options.  The median monthly price for a semi-private to private nursing home is from $5900 to $7000. When you recognize that the median monthly income for a US family in 2012 was only $4170, it is crystal clear that having assistance for paying for these costs is critical.

In 2013, the median hourly rate of a home health aide was $19/hour.  However, the daily pricing for a private nursing home in 2013 is $230.  And these prices are median.  For yourself, you probably want something a bit more than "average"; you are likely concerned about getting the very best healthcare possible.  So making a choice in insurance that will enable high-quality care becomes important.

Family Burden

You likely place a high value on being able to have at least a degree of independence.  And after spending so much time and effort raising your children to be independent, self-sufficient adults, the idea of putting a large burden on them is almost certainly abhorrent to you.  But look at the costs noted above.  The simple fact of the matter is that the costs are so high, that what very often happens is that family members themselves have to adjust their lives dramatically to provide care for a family member, relative, or friend.  

As a matter of fact, right now 1 in 6 Americans are doing this.  Of these, 70 percent suffer work-related difficulties related to care giving, 5% turned down a promotion, 4 percent retired early, and 6 percent gave work up altogether.

It is certainly commendable when family members come together to help each other out when one is having a healthcare challenge.  This is all-too-often neglected, and many are too quick to simply "throw someone in a home."  But it must be admitted that there are times when skilled help is needed, and making sure that we have the financial resources that insurance provides.