Definition of "Long-term care (ltc)"

Melissa  Thompson real estate agent

Written by

Melissa Thompsonelite badge icon

Keller Williams Realty Cityside

Day-to-day care that a patient (generally older than 65) receives in a nursing facility or in his or her residence following an illness or injury, or in old age, such that the patient can no longer perform at least two of the five basic activities of daily living: walking, eating, dressing, using the bathroom, and mobility from one place to another. There are basically three types of LTC plans:

  1. Skilled nursing care provided only by skilled medical professionals as ordered by a physician, MEDICARE will pay a limited amount of the associated cost.
  2. Intermediate care provided only by skilled medical professionals as ordered by a physician. This care involves the occasional nursing and rehabilitative assistance required by a patient.
  3. Custodial care provided only by skilled medical professionals as ordered by a physician. The patient requires personal assistance in order to conduct his or her basic daily living activities.
When selecting a LTC policy, some of the more important considerations include:
  1. Renewability policy should be a GUARANTEED RENEWABLE CONTRACT.
  2. Waiting period-length of time before benefits are paid should not exceed 90 days.
  3. Age eligibility upper age limit should be at least 80.
  4. Length of time benefits are paid typically the range is 5 to 10 years. It would be preferable to have benefits paid for life.
  5. Inflation guard the benefit level should be automatically adjusted each year according to the increase in the costs charged by the long-term-care providers.
  6. Premium waiver after the patient has received benefits for at least 90 days, the patient is no longer required to make premium payments for as long as he or she is under long-term care.
  7. No increase of premiums with age premiums should be based on the age at the time of application and should never increase as a result of changes in age.
  8. No limitations for preexisting conditions there should be no PREEXISTING CONDITION limitations.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Terms

Technique of loss control and reduction of losses in insurance. Supporters of this method believe that the safety attitudes of individuals determine the safety precautions they take. The ...

Entitlement to pension benefits without a reduction, even though an employee is no longer in the service of an employer at retirement. For example, under the ten year vesting rule, an ...

Monthly benefit payable to retired or disabled worker under Social Security. It is calculated by using the average monthly earnings of the covered person while working. Under this formula, ...

Contractor who represents different insurance companies and who searches the market for the best place for a client's business. The independent agent, who owns the records of policies sold, ...

Right of the policy owner as listed in a policy. An insured has the right to exercise all privileges and receive all benefits of the policy except when restricted by the right of an ...

Annuity payments that continue for the life of the annuitant; should the annuitant not survive a stated period, the payments are then made to a beneficiary until the stated period ends. ...

Life insurance policy given by a donor to a charity; donor only relinquishes the cash value and the cost of the premiums previously paid. The receiving charity's future value of the life ...

Physical contact of an automobile with another inanimate object resulting in damage to the insured car. Insurance coverage is available to provide protection against this occurrence. ...

Coverage of an employee group whose members receive a monthly disability income benefit, subject to a maximum amount, if illness or accident prevents a member from performing the normal ...

Popular Insurance Questions