How to Redesign Long-Term Care for Older Adults After COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic represents an opportunity to redesign the U.S. model for long-term supports and services (LTSS) for older adults, reports Forbes . The current model cannot deliver adequate care for frail seniors due to chronic underfunding, and such services need to be well-coordinated and tailored to individual needs. A repurposed model could start with frail older adults choosing the care setting and supports that would help them live the best life possible, with backing from family and a case manager. LTSS would be well integrated with medical treatment, with no regulatory or payment limitations, and through a financial model that incentivizes strong chronic care management. This could be delivered through managed care plans like Medicare Advantage, fully integrated programs such as the Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, or special needs plans. It also might be facilitated in traditional Medicare through Medicare Supplement insurance. Finally, a public long-term care insurance program could supplement out-of-pocket costs, especially for persons with true catastrophic costs that few private long-term care insurance policies reimburse.