Health PolicyCommentary
Financing Reform for Long Term Services and Supports
J Osteopath Med; 117(7): 413-415
Abstract
The most pressing problem elderly persons and their families face is the financing of long term services and supports (LTSS). Most elderly persons exclusively receive care from some 42 million family members, the majority of whom are women. The estimated value of the care that family members provide is $450 million per year in the United States, but family members receive no reimbursement. With the average total assets of a retired family being only $64,000, and the anticipated growth in the number of elderly persons needing LTSS, the lack of affordable options for these vital services is a challenge. In this article, the author reviews the current financing model and stakeholders for long term care and offer guidance for osteopathic physicians toward a potential solution for LTSS.