Many people have the mistaken impression that the government will take care of all their long term health care needs once they reach the age of 65. While it is true that the state of Oregon's Medicaid program will provide limited long term care for some patients over the age of 65, the Medicaid program offers little in the way of a choice of facilities or services provided.

In order to feel more confident that you will be able to receive not only the care you need but to receive such care at a place of your choice, it is vital that you purchase your own long term health care insurance in Oregon.

Unfortunately there are so many factors to consider when purchasing long term health care that it is probably advisable that most people seek the help and advice of a skilled insurance professional when purchasing a long term health plan.

Consider carefully each choice you make in your long term care coverage, as each decision can have a pronounced effect on how much you pay for your insurance as well as on the ultimate care you will receive if you should ever need long term care.

Many plans have a built-in time limit for how long they will provide care. This time limit may be expressed in terms of days, weeks, months or years, or the limit may be set by establishing a cap on the total amount the policy will pay toward long term care.

The type of long term care that will be provided is also a factor in the price you pay. Does your coverage pay for round-the-clock nursing home care, or does it pay only for part-time care in your own home?

Since insurance premiums are less the younger you are when you take out your long term care policy, taking out a policy sooner rather than later will also save you money, and make your monthly payments more affordable over the long run.

However, if you purchase a long term health care policy at, say, age 40, you should consider a policy which has a built-in inflation adjustment so benefits remain equal with real-world prices.

Long term health care is something that none of us likes to think about, but according to the Oregon Department of Insurance almost one half of all Oregon citizens over the age of 65 will need such care at some point, so it only makes sense to search now for the best rates possible on long term health care in Oregon.