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“PAYING TO AGE”

• By Dr. David Edward Marcinko; MBA, MEd CMP™
• By Thomas A. Muldowney; MSFS, CLU, ChFC, CFP®, AIF®, CMP™
• By Hope Rachel Hetico; RN, MHA, CPHQ™, CMP™ 

According to the US Bureau of the Census, there were almost 49 million people in the United States who were over age 60 in 2001. There are approximately 4,000,000 people over the age of 85 living in the US and there are over 60,000 people older than age 100 estimated as of July 1st 2004. For every 100 middle aged people in the US there at present about 114 persons over the age of 65. This statistic will change as we move forward through time. In the year 2025, there will be about 253 people over age 65 for every 100 middle aged people. Today, there are more than 55 million over age 60.

The Ticking Clock

Beginning on January 1st, 2006 at midnight and every 12 seconds thereafter for fifteen years, a baby boomer will have a birthday and cross over the age threshold of age 60. In the next 30 years, the 60+ age group will more than double, becoming 25 percent of the total population, and will have to be supported by a proportionately smaller workforce.  Research published in June 2005 by AARP (based on data from 2002) estimates that: “In 2002, roughly $140 Billion was spent on nursing home and home health care, with 24% of these costs being paid out of pocket (O’Brien and Elias, 2004)

Baby Boomers

As the baby boom generation ages, their care needs will expand precipitously. Add to this, scientific and technological improvements in healthcare. These very same people will need more expensive healthcare, more expensive custodial care and they will need it for an even longer period of time. Who will pay for this expanded need is not so clear. What is clear is that it will take money and lots of it to make these payments.

Financial Variables

There are only three variables associated with the accumulation or preservation of money:  “Time, Money and Rate of Return.”  Time is reduced to the following two questions “How long until I will need my money?” and “How long will I live?” an uncertainty to be sure.  Rate of return is either a function of the financial markets or the successful maintenance of an LTC plan. Because of the volatility in the financial markets, the “money” question is equally as uncertain.  In order to accumulate sufficient assets a client must ‘tradeoff’ many other alternatives such as ‘lifestyle.”

Assessment

What is certain is this…financial planning is important.  More important is the implementation or funding of an accumulation strategy or a Long-Term-Care [LTC] investment strategy to overcome these hurdles.

Conclusion

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Filed under: Funding Basics, Health Economics, Health Insurance, Healthcare Finance, Insurance Matters, Risk Management | Tagged: long term care, long term care insurance, LTC, LTCI | 11 Comments »