Long-Term Health Care Costs: Is This the Next Impending Crisis?

I spent the past week researching the state of long-term health care for an article I wrote for The Fiscal Times. I’ll post it here once it runs. In the wake of decisions by insurance companies to significantly hike the costs of premiums, and to start charging women more for long-term health care insurance, my piece explored the potential effects, especially on single women. I was astounded at the statistics. In 2011, national health care spending for long-term care services was $210.9-billion, almost two-thirds paid by the Medicaid program. As the population most in need of care, those ages 65 and older, doubles in the next 30 years, and fewer are able to afford long-term health care insurance, this is surely to become a major issue. Next week, I’ll be heading to the What’s Next Boomer Summit in Chicago, moderating a panel on career reinvention late in life. I’m quite curious whether this topic will be a subject of discussion, and what the experts have to say about it. As someone who reports about aging issues, this is a topic I plan to closely follow.