Products
Planning for care at home, or for a recovery that lasts longer than Medicare’s rehab benefit.
Medicare helps with skilled care and limited rehab after a hospital stay. It is not a long-term care program. Help with bathing, dressing, and getting through the day at home, or an extended stay in a facility, is mostly on you unless you have other coverage. Short-term care and long-term care policies are two different ways families prepare for that gap.
Short-term care and long-term care are not the same product
Short-term care policies are built for a recovery that lasts weeks or months: help at home after a surgery, or a temporary facility stay. Benefits are often simpler to qualify for than traditional long-term care, and the benefit period is shorter.
Long-term care insurance is built for a need that can last years. Premiums are higher, underwriting is more involved, and the policy is something you buy before you need it. Traditional long-term care is harder to place as people get older, which is why we talk about it early and honestly.
What we will tell you plainly
We will not describe a short-term recovery plan as if it will pay for years of memory care. We will also not suggest you buy coverage you cannot keep paying for. If your savings, family support, and Medicare benefits already match the risk you are worried about, we will say a policy is optional.
Bring the scenario you are actually planning for: a spouse who would need help at home, a parent moving closer to Norman, or your own wish to stay in the house. The product follows that story.
What we compare
- Are you planning for a months-long recovery, or for care that could last years?
- Do you want benefits at home, in a facility, or both?
- What is the elimination period, and how much would you pay before benefits start?
- Can the premium be sustained for as long as you need to hold the policy?
Common questions
Does Medicare pay for long-term care?
Medicare pays for limited skilled nursing and home health when you meet its rules. It does not pay for ongoing custodial care, which is help with daily activities over a long period. That is the gap these policies are meant to address.
Can I buy long-term care after I am already ill?
Often, no. Underwriting looks at your health. If a traditional policy is unlikely, we will look at whether a short-term care plan is available and we will tell you if neither one is a responsible purchase.