The good news is - we're all living longer! The bad news is - we're all living longer! As the price of everything goes up, so does growing old. Fortunately we now have some financial tools to help make the golden years more comfortable emotionally, physically and financially. One possible solution may be long-term care insurance (LTCI). But don't jump on this premium bandwagon until you understand what you're committing to. Like most insurance, we don't really know how well it works until we really need it. Here is some of the fine print to examine if you're considering a long-term care insurance policy.



Long-term care is often considered an issue exclusively for elders. Not so. Anyone who needs ongoing care because they cannot independently perform the basic daily living activities such as dressing, bathing, or eating due to an injury, illness or even cognitive disorders may be a candidate for long-term care. Being able to afford long-term care is something that concerns many of us. One way to deal with the unpredictability of long-term care costs may be long-term care insurance (LTCI).

Hopefully you'll live a long and prosperous life and health or money issues won't cloud your golden years. But, if you want to be prepared, consider how to make long-term care insurance work to your advantage. Don't count on Medicaid. It does cover a bit of your long-term care expenses but you've got to be dang near death or flat broke or a combination of the two to qualify. Then there's your friendly neighborhood HMOs, Medicare, and Medigap but guess what. Right. They don't help much either.

Here are three things you can do to get over your anxiety about this whole not-so-fun question of "How long will I live and can I afford it if I do?"

1. Eat your dang vegetables! Your mother was right. They are good for you and they keep you healthy. In other words, get with a fitness plan, clean up your diet, kick the smokes, and see if you can't add a few more healthy years to your life before long-term care insurance becomes a really big issue.

2. Make a ton of money. Yeah, yeah, yeah, your mother told you to start saving early. If you did as mama advised and got yourself some of that thar financial plannin' stuff then yer in dang good shape. If not, it's never too late to start with some basic planning and investing.

3. Buy some long-term care insurance. Nobody likes paying those insurance premiums but the right kind of long-term care insurance could make a huge difference when the going gets tough.

Eat your veggies, make some money, and buy some long-term care insurance. The first two are relatively easy; the last one has a few complexities to be aware of. Get with an agent you trust. Get a referral from someone in the legal or financial fields. Here is some of the even finer print to watch for when it gets down to the nitty gritty of policy comparison:

1. Elimination Complication... Or, in the insurance industry words, Elimination Period: This is the period of time before your insurance policy will actually begin paying out benefits. The typical options range between 20 and 100 days. This is also referred to as a waiting period. Your insurance agent should be able to articulate the cost and benefit considerations of making your elimination period longer or shorter.

2. Time Crunch... Or, as the insurance lingo goes, Duration of Benefits: The ceiling or limits placed on the benefits a policy holder will receive. This may be limits such as a set amount of money or a time limit of two years, etc. Again, it's important to compare these benefits to other financial capabilities and resources available to you.

3. Daily Bread... Or, as the insurance industry feeds it to you: Daily Benefit: This is the actual amount of daily coverage you will select as your benefit. This typically ranges from $50 to $350 per day. Also keep in mind the cost of living in your neighborhood. Health care in a small town in Wisconsin may be less costly than downtown San Diego. Your agent should be able to give you some guidance on this.

4. Easy Rider... Or as our insurance friends call it, Optional Inflation Rider: The term used to describe the method of protection against inflation.

5. Had-That-Bug-Already... Or better known as Those Pre-existing Conditions that we-ain't-gonna-cover-rule. The insurance provider will require a waiting period (in some cases 6 or months or more) before full coverage goes into effect on treatment for pre-existing conditions. This varies from carrier to carrier.

6. Home on the Range... Or, our insurance folks refer to this as Range of Care: In other words, this coverage may vary depending on the level of care employed. Some care may be at a skilled level, intermediate level, or a custodial level. The facility will also have a range-of-care definition that the insurance agent should thoroughly explain. The nursing home is one price. The assisted living facility is another. And of course, the home care is still another price. Maybe a little complicated but this each of these services has different costs and various levels of service. Therefore they all have their own unique price tag. Ask for clarification on this.

7. Jacking Premiums... Or better known as Premium Increases: Your policy will have terms in it that explain if, how, and when your premiums will increase. Reality check here. There is usually no "if" but there is almost always a "when." Of course your costs will go up, just make sure you know how much and if you have any options when they do. Can you reduce the type of coverage you have if your premiums increase or are you locked in? Ask your agent.

8. To Know me is to Renew me... Or more commonly referred to as: Guaranteed Renewability: This is a policy agreement in long-term care insurance policies that allows you to renew it and maintain coverage even though you may have had changes in your health.

9. Amazing Grace Period... Or to put it another way... The Grace Period for Late Payments: If you slip up and you're a little late on your payment, this is how much time the company will allow before they do something nasty like cancel your policy. It is wise that you don't put your grace period to the test. They don't always have the same sense of humor that this writer does.

10. No Debate Rebate... This is a pleasant change... money back? How? It's called the Return of Premium: This is the little clause that says you may get some of your money back if you haven't used your policy for a certain number of years. Please notice, we did say... "May get some of your money back."

11. Bed Pan Ally... Commonly known in the insurance world as Prior Hospitalizatoin: This is the clause that indicates whether or not you must stay in a hospital before you qualify for long-term care insurance benefits.

It's obvious there's a lot to know about long-term care insurance so do your homework early. Make sure and check with a financial planner, attorney or accountant to get some guidance on this complicated topic. Not everyone needs or qualifies for long-term care insurance so ask a lot of questions and don't forget to eat your dang vegetables!