LTC
Bullet: The New LTC
Dialogue Thursday, June 29, 2006 Seattle-- LTC Comment: The
Center for Long-Term Care Reform has a brand new internet forum or
"bulletin board" where members can ask questions, make
comments, bellyache or celebrate. Details
after the ***news.*** ***
TODAY'S LTC BULLET is sponsored by LTCi Decision Systems, creators of
the "LTC Economic Impact Planning Model" (TM) and the "LTCia
POM (Pool of Money) Calculator" (TM).
The Model is a comprehensive tool designed to demonstrate care
event financial risk and the future value of alternative LTCi benefit
choices. The POM Calculator
is a simplified approach focused on the future value of LTC insurance
versus self funding care through personal investments.
For more information, contact Ralph Leisle at rleisle@ltcia.com,
call toll-free at 1-800-360-9853) or visit LTCi Decision Systems online
at www.ltcia.com. *** LTC BULLET: THE
NEW LTC DIALOGUE LTC Comment: Some
of the Center for Long-Term Care Reform's most popular LTC Bullets
and LTC E-Alerts are the ones that raise an issue or ask a
question and invite replies. Even when we don't ask members to respond, emails
pour in most days with queries or comments.
We do our best to research the answers and to reply, especially
for dues-paying members of the Center. Often, it seems like others might have the same
questions and appreciate receiving the answers.
In such cases, we sometimes turn the question and answer into a Bullet
or an E-Alert. But until now, we have not had a systematic way to
post, respond to and publicize inquiries and answers. Nor have we had a way for Center members to exchange ideas
between each other. Now we do! Introducing
the brand new Center for Long-Term Care Reform LTC Forum for
Center-members only. [Not a Center member yet, no problem.
You can register and pay dues online at http://www.centerltc.com/support/index.htm.
Or make it easy on yourself, call or email Damon at 206-283-7036
or damon@centerltc.com.
You'll be in The Zone, on the LTC Forum, and in the know within
minutes.] Once you've registered for the CLTCR LTC Forum
(registration instructions follow below), here's what you'll find: eight separate topic categories within which you can post a
question or comment and reply to others' queries. The LTC Forum is brand new so don't expect much content yet.
Help us build it into a valuable resource for all LTC
professionals. Here are the topic areas and the posts so far: DEMOGRAPHICS
AND OTHER DATA: The impact
of the Baby Boom and discussion of the coming "age wave."
Discussion of resources and data on LTC cost, spending and
utilization. [Posts
so far: a query from a
member regarding the historical inflation in nursing home costs followed
by our reply including links to nursing home cost data from 1980 to
2004.] MEDICAID
PLANNING: The impact on
public programs and benefit recipients, the latest court and
administration rulings and the effect on the marketability of private
long-term care solutions. [Posts
so far: a query from a
member about a new Medicaid planning technique being marketed by an
insurance company that takes advantage of Medicaid's unlimited exemption
for term life insurance followed by our reply explaining why the
technique works, referring to SSI (Supplemental Security Income) rules
governing the practice, and suggesting that this is one more
"loophole" that needs to be closed.]
REALITY
CHECK: THE FACTS ON LTCI:
Addressing inaccuracies and faulty data that abound in media
coverage of long-term care insurance. Includes anecdotes from the popular press that highlight the
benefits of planning ahead and taking personal responsibility for
long-term care. [Posts
so far: Our invitation to
you to explore the LTC Bullets
on this topic in the Center for LTC Reform's subject archives.]
THE
LTC PROBLEM AND SOLUTIONS: Topics
that address or support the arguments fully developed in the Center's
white papers: "LTC
Choice: A Simple, Cost-Free Solution to the Long-Term Care Financing
Puzzle" and "Myth of Unaffordability:
How Most Americans Should, Could, and Would Buy Private Long-Term
Care Insurance." Also,
analysis of proposals for solving the LTC financing crisis offered by
academics, think tanks and others. [Posts
so far: A copy of the New
York Long-Term Care Compact bill that passed the Senate in New York last
week followed by a detailed critique of the Compact proposal by Center
member Arthur Rudnick.] LTC
SERVICES: Highlights the
link between private financing and quality services. [Posts
so far: Our invitation to
you to explore the LTC Bullets
on this topic in the Center for LTC Reform's subject archives.] POLITICS
AND LEGISLATION: Commentary
on the news from Congress, the Administration, HCFA, and the states. [Posts
so far: Our invitation to
you to explore the LTC Bullets
on this topic in the Center for LTC Reform's subject archives.] CLTCR
NEWS: What's happening at
the Center, press coverage and releases. [Posts
so far: Our invitation to
you to explore the LTC Bullets
on this topic in the Center for LTC Reform's subject archives.]
MISCELLANEOUS:
Everything else. If you've never participated in an online
"bulletin board" before, it may take a little practice to get
the hang of it. If you're
an old hand at such things, you should find this one very easy.
The more proficient you become, the more valuable the resource
will be. You can even tell
the CLTCR LTC Forum to send you an email message whenever someone
responds to your post. If you have any problem at all, Damon is available
to help at 206-283-7036 or damon@centerltc.com. Steve Moses says:
"I'll be on the Center's LTC Forum every day.
I'll contribute when I have something to say.
And I look forward to learning from the posts of others.
Center members are among the smartest, most experienced and
successful people in the field of long-term care.
I hope this new Forum will become a valuable resource for us all
to learn from each other." Here’s how to enter: 1. Register
with Damon by email damon@centerltc.com
or by phone 206-283-7036. He will give you your user name and password
so you can log on. You may respond to topics and create your own
within all eight forum categories.
If you would like to suggest a new forum category, contact Damon
directly damon@centerltc.com or
206-283-7036. Please also
feel free to contact him if you need further help or have any questions.
Enjoy! Oh, and fair warning:
in the future, when you respond directly to an LTC Bullet
or LTC E-Alert, your email goes to our central email address, info@centerltc.com.
Expect that your question or comment sent to that address and our
reply may be posted to the LTC Forum without further notice.
If you wish to communicate directly and confidentially, email
Steve Moses directly at smoses@centerltc.com
or Damon at damon@centerltc.com. |