This guide contains:

Background on long term care insurance
Features to look for in long term care insurance policies
How to find the best long term care insurance for you

This independent guide was created to help you understand the basics of long term care insurance and to help you choose the right long term care insurance policy for you. We do not sell any long term care insurance ourselves, so you can be confident that all of the information in this guide is independent and unbiased.

Background on long term care insurance
Long-term care is the personal care and other related services provided when people are unable to provide for themselves due to a disability or prolonged illness. It ranges from having personal care at home, such as bathing and dressing, to skilled nursing services in a nursing home. When you need long-term care you typically need help with some or all of your activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, toileting, continence, eating and transportation. In some other cases, you may be able to do all of your activities of daily living but still need care and supervision due to a severe cognitive impairment (memory loss, dementia, etc.) to help you remember such things as when to take your medications, how often to eat, etc.

Long-term care is offered by home care agencies, senior centers, adult day care centers, traditional nursing homes, and retirement communities that provide ongoing care. Long-term care is about needing care for a lengthy period of time, the kind of care that typically isn't covered by any health, medical or disability income insurance. Prior to getting into the nuts and bolts of long term care insurance policies, it is important to know and understand the types of care and care facilities available.

Types of Care:
Acute care- is typically provided in hospitals and emergency rooms for conditions that develop rapidly and can strike suddenly, like strokes and heart attacks. Your health insurance and Medicare will combine to cover some or all of the expenses for acute care because it is generally skilled care.

Chronic care- is generally provided in your home, nursing homes, and other assisted living facilities for conditions that are treatable, but generally not curable. Your health insurance and Medicare will typically not cover chronic care because it is not considered skilled care.

Skilled care- is typically provided in skilled nursing homes, but can be provided in the home as well. If the skilled care meets specific strict criteria set forth by Medicare, then the facility providing it is referred to as a skilled nursing facility (SNF). Medicare's definition of skilled care is "services and rehabilitation that require the skills of technical or professional personnel such as registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and physical or occupational therapists."