Alzheimer’s – Discovering the Health Insurance Options

Learning that you or your loved one has Alzheimer’s disease is a frightening experience. Alzheimer’s is a progressively worsening condition of the brain where a person forgets who he is, who he knows and what he can do. As a person’s Alzheimer’s disease worsens, it becomes harder on the caregiver than on the patient. One thing that an Alzheimer patient and his family should not worry about is health insurance. There are a wide variety of options for health care to deal with the associated costs of providing long-term health care to the patient.

Alzheimer’s disease often affects the elderly. For now, the government provides federally-funded insurance in the form of the Medicare program which covers many of the costs associated with the disease in those Americans 65 years of age and over who are covered by Medicare. In general, Medicare covers 100% of hospitalizations and about 80% of non-hospital care. Reports indicate that Medicare covers many Alzheimer’s treatments such as doctor visits, physical and speech therapy, mental health care and skilled home nursing care. There is a deductible associated with Medicare. Even with Medicare, many Alzheimer patients require supplemental insurance to cover additional costs not covered by Medicare.

Often, a Medicare patient will have a form of supplemental insurance provided by a private insurance company. This type of insurance coverage is secondary to the coverage provided by Medicare and is also referred to as Medigap insurance. The coverage provided by a Medigap policy of insurance is determined by federal and state law but it can vary quite a bit. If you or a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease needs a Medigap insurance policy, then you should carefully consider the policy and the coverage it provides. Read the fine print to ensure that you are getting the coverage you need.

The progression of Alzheimer’s disease from the initial diagnosis to the eventual death of the patient can take years. In that way, Alzheimer’s is a chronic disease. That is why it is so important to make sure that your loved one has the proper health insurance to provide coverage over the long run. If your loved one is not old enough to qualify for Medicare, you may want to look into disability insurance to cover the costs associated with Alzheimer’s. Usually, that type of coverage will pay a percentage of the person’s salary from when they were employed. Your loved one may also qualify for social security disability insurance, but qualification can be an extensive process and may require hearings and appeals before the coverage is approved.

If you need assistance in locating coverages to cover this condition, we can help. Please visit our website at http://www.health-insurance-buyer.com and leave your contact information so we may respond to your request and guide you.

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