[Dilbert San Diego]

The private sector simple solution mentioned is for all of us to buy long term care insurance.

But such insurance is very expensive, which helps explain why so few people have long-term care policies.

[Bernard]

My wife and I have long-term care, but that covers the rent for a nursing home or assisted living. The real expensive part seems to come in the last 3-12 months of life. The only real resolution for that would probably involve POA’s for Health, which right now really only cover emergencies when the patient is not breathing and unable to make decisions, etc. Maybe more education on hospice and palliative care decisions can make things less expensive.

[Nervous Tick]

Yup, got LTC. It is expensive, and yet I hope I never have to use it. But (unlike Kofi) I believe it is my moral duty to take care of my own burdens to the extent possible.

[cherry]

we are not govt retirees with rich pensions....we can't afford a nice nursing home insurance policy...we've decided that when one goes down,the other will care for him/her as best we're able at home....no feeding tubes/vents/trachs etc.....death is part of life....

or we can spend down and qualify for medicaid...but medicaid/medicare looks back 4-5 yrs to see if you've given your kids a large amt of your money and they you'll be dinged or have to get it back....

give your kids money NOW before you are sick, in small amts, because the govt will take every single penny from you one way or another.