Iowa Long Term Care Insurance Partnership Companies and Costs
Long Term Care Planning in Iowa
Planning ahead for future long term care needs is key to protecting your retirement assets. Many people have had first-hand experience with a loved one who needed long term care. These experiences underscore the reality of the financial and emotional stress when someone needs long term care.
Besides protecting your retirement assets, LTC insurance gives you the peace of mind knowing you can cover the cost of long term care if you need it in the future. A long term care plan also protects your family from having to be caregivers. And it enables you to choose where you’ll receive any care needed in later years.
CLICK HERE For Iowa Long Term Care Insurance Quotes. We’ll give you quotes and comparisons for the leading LTC insurance providers in Iowa.
Who Needs Long Term Care Insurance
Someone turning age 65 today has about a 70 percent chance of needing some type of long term care during their lifetime. While one-third may never need long term care, 20 percent will need it for longer than 5 years. The average length of time people need long term care services is 3 years.1
In Iowa, the average cost for 3 years of long term care is $268,275 ($89,425 per year) at 2021 rates. That cost is projected to be $484,533 ($161,511 per year) in 2041.2
And it’s not only seniors that need long term care. Over 35 percent of people currently receiving long term care services are between 18 and 64.3
Does Medicare Cover Long Term Care?
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for those over 65 and some younger people with disabilities. And Medicare does not pay for custodial care which makes up more than 90% of all long term care services.
An example of custodial care is when someone needs help with walking, bathing, eating, dressing or using the toilet. Custodial care is what people need most when they have a physical impairment from a stroke. Or, due to cognitive impairment from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Don’t make the mistake of thinking Medicare covers long term care costs. It doesn’t.
When To Buy Long Term Care Insurance
Like most advisers, we recommend buying long term care insurance in your fifties or early sixties. The primary reasons for this recommendation are:
- The younger you are when you buy a policy, the lower the annual premiums.
- By the time you reach your mid sixties, you’re more likely to have a medical condition that makes you ineligible for a preferred-health discount, or makes it tough to get coverage at all.
- Even though you’ll pay premiums a longer period of time, you’ll typically pay less overall than someone buying at an older age.
So it almost never pays to wait. And, while you’re waiting, you’re uninsured. If an accident or illness happens causing you to need long-term care, you’ll have to pay out of pocket.
Iowa Long Term Care Insurance Options
There are two types of LTC insurance in Iowa. Each type of policy has its specific advantages and one of our licensed professionals can provide details to help you decide which is best for your situation.
Traditional Long Term Care Insurance
You pay an annual premium, and if you need long term care due to a cognitive or physical impairment, the policy pays for your care. Traditional LTC insurance policies make up about half of all long term care policies sold.
Hybrid Long Term Care Insurance
A hybrid long term care insurance policy combines the benefits of life insurance, or an annuity, with long term care benefits. You can buy a hybrid long term care insurance policy by paying a one-time lump sum premium, or over a set period of time.
If long term care is never needed, the policy works much like a traditional life insurance policy. It would then pay a death benefit to your beneficiary when you die. And the death benefit is often similar to the amount paid for the policy. But if you need long-term care, the amount of money available can exceed the death benefit or long term care annuity value, often several times over, offering tremendous leverage of premium dollars.
Long Term Care Costs in Iowa
This Iowa long term care cost data can help you decide how much insurance you need. And it compares nursing facility, assisted living and home care costs. Here is the 2021 cost of long term care in the State of Iowa.2
Iowa Long Term Care Costs – 2021 (annual) |
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| Region | Nursing Home (private room) | Nursing Home (semi-private room) | Assisted Living (private room) | Home Health Aide (44 hours/wk) |
| Iowa State Median | $89,425 | $82,490 | $52,404 | $66,924 |
| Ames | $82,490 | $82,490 | $55,860 | $67,496 |
| Cedar Rapids | $89,790 | $82,125 | $56,970 | $66,352 |
| Davenport Area | $86,870 | $75,920 | $52,200 | $61,776 |
| Des Moines | $93,075 | $85,775 | $57,630 | $69,784 |
| Dubuque | $93,258 | $87,600 | $54,300 | $63,492 |
| Iowa City | $102,200 | $84,863 | $52,920 | $57,200 |
| Sioux City | $83,950 | $82,125 | $49,779 | $64,064 |
| Waterloo Area | $87,965 | $82,490 | $54,804 | $57,200 |
Iowa Long Term Care Partnership Program
The Iowa Long Term Care Partnership Program is a special Iowa program combining private long term care insurance with special access to Medicaid. The Iowa Long Term Care Partnership Program helps Iowans prepare for the possibility of needing nursing home care, assisted living care or home care.
An Iowa Long Term Care Partnership Program (Partnership) policy allows you to keep all, or part of your assets under the Medicaid program, if your long term care needs last longer than the benefits of your Partnership policy.
Iowa Long Term Care Partnership Program rates are like other policies. But the mandatory age-related inflation protection can increase the cost of insurance. So we recommend you compare Iowa Long Term Care Partnership Program policies with regular LTC insurance. Because, you may find a wider range of choices better suited to your needs. This includes hybrid long term care insurance options not available under the Iowa Long Term Care Partnership Program.
Iowa Long Term Care Partnership Reciprocity
Consider the situation where someone buys a Long Term Care Partnership policy in another State and then later moves to Iowa. Reciprocity means they will not lose the special asset protection when they move to Iowa. The State of Iowa would also recognize accumulated asset protection for Medicaid qualification, if the person were already receiving long term care benefits from their Long Term Care Partnership policy before relocating.
How Much Does LTC Insurance Cost in Iowa?
How much does long term care insurance cost in Iowa? The answer depends on your age and health history at the time you buy the insurance. Generally speaking, the younger and healthier you are the lower the cost. Your Iowa long term care insurance cost also depends on the following benefits you select:
- Benefit Period
- Daily Benefit
- Elimination Period (a deductible in days)
- Inflation Protection (optional)
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Long Term Care Insurance Companies in Iowa
Iowa long term care insurance is available from several well respected insurance companies. We compare these companies to find you the best protection at the lowest cost. Here is a list of long term care insurance companies in Iowa:
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1. 2022 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (www.longtermcare.acl.gov), site accessed 04/06/2022
2. Cost of Care Survey 2021 (Genworth.com), site accessed 04/06/2022
3. Family Caregiver Alliance (www.caregiver.org), site accessed 04/06/2022