Just in case you're living in a bubble, there's an ongoing debate about the viability and future of America's "Safety Net" programs, and it's easy to see why these programs are the elephant in the room.  When you consider the ongoing and future costs and a federal debt that recently passed $34 trillion, it's safe to say - one way or another - it's a question of WHEN and not IF changes are on the way......

Regardless of your political leanings, it’s difficult to believe our country can maintain the spending trajectory for Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security in their current form.  Without arguing the merits of these programs, neither party has really presented any solutions to actually make them viable in the future.  Making matters worse, with respect to your clients' future Long-Term Care expenses, there are already gaping holes in the American safety net, and the majority of your clients don't want to be dependent on ANY government program. 

One day soon, we'll get past the current crisis, and healthcare will still be on everyone's mind, so perhaps you should be prepared to help your clients better understand The Safety Net with respect to Healthcare in Retirement and Long-Term Care needs, which will likely be required in the future.

A Look At Medicare.....

It’s important to recognize that Medicare offers limited benefits to cover Long-Term Care expenses.  Relying on Medicare for chronic or age-related care really isn’t a good "solution" because a quick visit to the Medicare website can verify that fact.   If you need another reference point, consider the Social Security statement you used to receive each year.

The government stopped sending those statements simply because of the high cost, so encourage clients to click on this link to set up an online account with the Social Security Administration to view their current benefit projection.  Once your client registers, they can their statement and and scroll down to the page to see this: