Brenda Wiemann has been with the Cayuga County Office of the Aging since January for one purpose: to educate the public about long-term care insurance. She gave the first of what she hopes will be monthly presentations about the public's options for preparing for a chronic health care situation that could arise in their life due to illness or injury.

New York state legislators want to reduce the number of tax dollars that fund programs such as Medicaid and Medicare, and they believe long-term care insurance may be a giant step in that direction. The state's legislators have developed a program called the New York State Partnership for long-term Care that combines Medicaid benefits with individual long-term care insurance.

“I would like to see people look at their long-term care needs,” Wiemann said, “and to do some long-term care planning. A lot of insurance doesn't cover long-term care. Medicare doesn't cover long-term care. Our office provides a neutral place to get information.”

So what is long-term care? According to the Office of the Aging, “It generally consists of help with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, eating and using the toilet.” This care may be provided in the home by a family member, hired aide or a nurse or by a professional staff in a hospital, nursing home, or assisted living facility.

This care can be very expensive. In-home care can easily cost more than $50,000 a year for eight hours of service, assisted living can cost between $20,000 and $50,000, and a nursing home can cost more than $80,000. These figures are based on average costs in Cayuga County and are expected to double every 15 years.

Long-term care insurance is available from a number of insurance carriers in New York state, but there are some guidelines the state recommends. If your assets are valued at less than $30,000 or if the cost of the premiums costs more than 7 percent of your annual income, long-term care insurance may not be your best option.

“For those who can afford it,” Wiemann said, “this is a great option, and they're more likely to be able to stay in their homes.”

Because of the partnership between the state through the Medicaid Extended

Coverage and private insurance companies there are two types of asset protection plans: Total and Dollar for Dollar.

Total protects all personal asset from being absorbed into the Medicaid Fund. This plan is recommended for people with significant wealth or assets.

Dollar for Dollar protects assets to the amount of the benefits paid by the policy. This is a more affordable plan for people with fewer assets or less wealth. Coverage must

also be purchased before a debilitating illness or injury occurs, or coverage can be denied by the insurance carriers.

There is an elimination period of an agreed upon number of days for each policy, which is similar to typical deductible. There must also be a “trigger,” or an event or impairment, that causes the insured person to require long-term care. Wiemann advised asking who makes that determination, their doctor or the insurance company's doctor, before buying any policy.

In a brochure promoting the benefits of long-term care insurance, Governor George Pataki wrote, “You can act now to ensure you receive the long-term health care you need, when you need it, on your terms. Don't leave it to others to make those decisions for you. Learn more about the Partnership for long-term Care policies and advantages today.”