Washington Business Journal’s Post

You are not alone in caring for a loved one. There are, an estimated, 48 million Americans caring for someone over the age of 18.  It is crucial to consider burnout a possibility and to understand the financial possibilities when deciding on your options. Experts say these 5 steps may help:  🏛️ Seek help from the government and nonprofits: Medicare and most health insurance plans generally don’t pay for long-term care. However, if an elderly individual is eligible for Medicaid or a U.S. veteran, there’s a good chance a family member can get paid for caring for them. 💲 Take advantage of tax breaks: If your elderly parent or relative lives with you and qualifies as a dependent, you may be eligible to claim them as a dependent on your federal tax return.    🤝 Ask about employer benefits that can help: You may be able to save even more money by taking advantage of a health savings account, or HSA, and flexible spending account, or FSA, offered by your employer — and using that money to pay for qualified medical, dental and vision expenses for a dependent.    💕 Find support from a group or care specialist: Emotional stress and burnout can add to the financial strain of caregiving. Connecting with other caregivers in a support group may alleviate or help you better manage the multifaceted aspects of caregiving. Search online for caregiver support groups that meet in your area or virtually. ✍️ Plan ahead for costs and decision-making: A key strategy to saving money and reducing the emotional stress of care is planning early. If your older parent or relative is reasonably healthy and under the age of 70, consider helping them buy long-term care insurance if they can’t afford the premiums on their own.”  Learn more (Below) https://lnkd.in/d_N5izve

Transforming Caregiving in Africa: The High Potential of the Helpful App Meet the Helpful app—an innovative solution set to revolutionize caregiving for families in Africa. Recently securing $7.5 million in seed financing, this app aims to ease the burdens faced by over 53 million American caregivers by streamlining the administrative aspects of a loved one's care plan. Created by Wes Donohoe, a seasoned expert in the healthcare industry, Helpful stands out from other caregiving apps by integrating medical records, insurance benefits, medications, and personalized care plans. By programmatically scraping insurance websites, the app ensures comprehensive support without API limitations. Through partnerships with payors, Helpful offers its app for free to family members of Original Medicare (parts A & B), making it accessible to those who need it most. The overwhelming response with thousands on the waitlist attests to the urgency and potential impact of this innovative app. For Africa, where ageing populations and caregiving demands are rising, the Helpful app model holds great promise. By addressing localized challenges and leveraging technology, it has the potential to bridge gaps in support and empower caregivers across the continent. The Helpful app's model's high potential lies in its ability to transform caregiving in Africa, offering a much-needed helping hand to families and improving the lives of the elderly. https://lnkd.in/dZRHGNa8

Why are Veterans poster children for the 2621 counties most behind in health care workforce? Veterans are at least 50% found in these 2621 counties with 40% of the population. Best I can tell veterans are more likely to arise from these counties. This may be due to better opportunities in the military and family traditions. Veterans also suffer after their service including mental and physical conditions. They also give up investments that might help future income. Frequent movements disrupt employments for spouses and family. Conditions of discharge can make it difficult for veterans regarding housing, jobs, and income. We know that lower and middle income people are being forced into 3 choices - homelessness, move in with someone, or leave most costly counties. This fuels rapid growth in counties lower in cost such as the 2621 counties lowest in health care workforce. Sadly this can complicate matters for veterans. VA facilities are stacked in top and higher concentration counties. Since health care design concentrates the worst health insurance in these counties and maintains deficits of local primary care and mental health, the local options for these services are limited. Veterans along with others concentrated in these counties need social supports such as food stamps, disability, and various benefits. These programs are constantly challenged and are often difficult to access. Integrated primary care and mental health services can be helpful, but are more challenging where the nation short changes such populations of the workforce and delivery team members to do the integration and coordination. It is important to understand the people in these counties that face such limitations in finances and health care insurance, access, and services. Many have had to make sacrifices and choices that those in power do not understand. And their lack of awareness does not help to shape the support that many need.

Pizza Generation Needs Care Coordinators Social care is healthcare. We need health insurance to take ownership of the heavy cost and burden of caregiving that is limiting the future for our Pizza Generation. We need big insurance to assign a Care Coordinators to every young caregiver, with the cost covered by the loved one's insurance. These coordinators would act as navigators, helping caregivers access essential resources, providing emotional support, and ensuring that the caregiving journey is more manageable. This proactive measure would not only alleviate the burdens on young caregivers but also contribute to a more streamlined and efficient healthcare system. Caregiver and Loved One in Unified Care Plan Instituting a wraparound care plan with the medical team and the school district is essential. A behavioral health coordinator at the primary care provider's office can address the mental health aspects of caregiving and work directly with schools keeping students on track as they cope with stress and emotional challenges. In addition, respite care is essential so that young caregivers can attend school and participate in social events.

Why is Uber Caregiver a big deal? Last weeks’ announcement from #UberHealth, about the launch of #UberCaregiver, is welcome news. But not for the reason that many may think. As you’ve probably read, this service will allow family caregivers to add their care recipient’s health benefits card to their Uber wallet, and use that benefit to pay for transportation to and from doctor appointments. The app will also allow the caregiver to order and track rides for their loved one. This summer, Uber Health will start working with Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and commercial plans to offer this solution. The solution itself—transportation service for aging adults, covered by insurance—isn’t new. Many Medicare Advantage plans have offered a transportation benefit card to their members as a supplement benefit for years. And many state Medicaid programs already cover the costs of taxis, Uber, and Lyft. Medicaid and many MA plans also offer prepaid over-the-counter cards and healthy grocery allowances that can save family caregivers hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year on products they purchase for their loved ones. And sure enough, Uber will be tapping into these benefits with a grocery-ordering and delivery feature that will be available by the end of this year. But what I think is most exciting about Uber getting into the caregiving space is that their high profile and ubiquitous brand recognition is elevating the needs of family caregivers to the national level. I hope it will also serve to raise caregivers’ awareness about Medicare Advantage supplement benefits as a whole. So many of them are left unclaimed, due to, well, lack of awareness. Uber reminds us that we don’t necessarily have to invent entirely new programs to help families navigate their financial journey through caregiving. Sometimes we just need to make it easier for them to tap into the resources that already exist. https://lnkd.in/eCcH94WK

Hudson County is home to nearly 70,000 residents who lack health insurance, as well as approximately 80,000 undocumented immigrants. When these residents need health care, they come to CarePoint’s safety net hospitals and they are never turned away — but that spirit of altruistic health care access cannot be sustained without state funding support. We urge our state leadership to recognize this need and allocate appropriate funding from the state budget and any available discretionary funds towards CarePoint’s community health initiatives. By signing this petition, you are not only supporting a noble cause but also advocating for better healthcare services in Hudson County. Please sign this petition today and help support CarePoint’s mission to continue providing care to our underserved communities. o The total American Rescue Plan Act distribution given to the New Jersey hospitals was nearly $700 million by the end of 2023, yet CarePoint Health System with two safety net hospitals had received zero dollars up until December 15th 2023 when CarePoint received $10 million. o Since the beginning of COVID-19, CarePoint's emergency rooms and hospitals have seen around 60,000 charity patients, 200,000 Medicaid patients and accepted 12,000 homeless patients. Charity-based Neighborhood Health Centers have seen close to 42,000 patients. o Additionally, our ERs and Hospitals care for more than 12,000 mental health patients annually, including the only inpatient adolescent psychiatry unit in the region at Hoboken University Medical Center. o Overall, annually, our ERs see almost 100,000 patients, the hospitals perform 11,000 surgeries and admit more than 22,000 patients, including 2,200 mental health admissions.

Excerpts from this recent article by Rachael Scarborough King, PhD, the wife of healthcare activist Ady Barkan who recently died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): "Ady and I had close relationships with his caregivers, many of whom worked with us for years. They allowed Ady to continue to live in our home, surrounded by his family, even after his paralysis had progressed to the point where I could not care for him on my own. It’s likely that most A.L.S. patients do not have access to this kind of support — or to adequate caregiving in general. Health insurance plans cover little, if any, in-home caregiving to assist with the tasks of daily life (as opposed to skilled nursing services, which administer medicines and change bandages, for example). Medicare also does not cover assistance with activities like bathing and dressing. To qualify for Medicaid — which varies state by state and has lengthy wait lists for home care — patients and their families usually must exhaust almost all of their assets first, which would have left me, as a now 39-year-old widow, with almost no savings. We were fortunate to arrive at an ad hoc arrangement with our health insurance company that reimbursed most of Ady’s caregiving costs, which totaled about $40,000 a month for round-the-clock care. You read that right — by the end of his life, we paid nearly half a million dollars a year for Ady’s care." https://lnkd.in/dd4PXRzP

We are proud to circulate this OpEd, penned by Whitman-Walker Institute's Lienna Feleke-Eshete, which has just been published in The Washington Informer. The crux of the OpEd is that research shows that the cost of mental health services remains a persistent barrier for families, especially for families of color. Working in collaboration with Whitman-Walker and Children's National Hospital, DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority implemented an equity-based benefit design into their #DCHealthLink Standard Plans, which are designed to make shopping easier and cover essential in-network services without having to meet the deductible first. Each health insurance carrier in DC Health Link offers a standard plan at various levels of coverage in the individual and family marketplace and the small business marketplace. This policy change resulted in a $5 copay across all Standard Plans for unlimited mental and behavioral health visits and prescriptions for all youth under age 19, with no deductibles. This change means that families that were previously paying $2,340 per year for weekly therapy visits would now pay $260 annually for critical care that their child needs. The positive impact of this $5 policy change on youth of color and LGBTQIA+ youth in the District cannot be overstated. It has literally saved lives. #mentalhealthawarenessmonth #mentalhealth #whitmanwalker #weseeyou https://lnkd.in/gM-D5EeD

For everyone who has expressed their words of support and commented on our story of Jose's journey living with ALS, PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE. Yes, it's long. But it shares a very candid glimpse of aspects of the challenges we have faced, and frankly, it should both anger AND terrify you given the likelihood that you or a loved one will eventually face the challenges of needing or serving as a caregiver. If you want to DO something, please join us in advocating for adequate care systems and support for ALL Americans who find themselves needing relying on them. "Health insurance plans cover little, if any, in-home caregiving to assist with the tasks of daily life (as opposed to skilled nursing services, which administer medicines and change bandages, for example). Medicare also does not cover assistance with activities like bathing and dressing. To qualify for Medicaid — which varies state by state and has lengthy wait lists for home care — patients and their families usually must exhaust almost all of their assets first, which would have left me, as a now 39-year-old widow, with almost no savings. We were fortunate to arrive at an ad hoc arrangement with our health insurance company that reimbursed most of Ady’s caregiving costs, which totaled about $40,000 a month for round-the-clock care." "The need for long-term caregiving is not unique to those with A.L.S. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has found that 70 percent of people over 65 need long-term services and support, and that those needs are concentrated in poorer households. Yet only about 3 to 4 percent of Americans over age 50 have long-term care insurance. A 2019 report published by the Department of Health and Human Services found that 48 percent of people over 65 received some paid care, but many relied on family and other unpaid caregivers. Medicare generally does not cover long-term care, and more than 650,000 people are on Medicaid waiting lists or interest lists for home and community-based services. As the current population continues to age, more people will need long-term care than ever before." p.s., I've gifted this article from my paid NYT subscription allowing anyone who clicks the link here to bypass the paywall and read the article in its entirety

A lot of us at Equipsme are right slap bang in the middle of what’s known as the ‘sandwich generation’. What that basically means is that we’re running around after small children, and trying to cope with ageing parents at the same time - all while working like we don’t have a family at all. For me I have an 8 year old and an 80 year old in my life and as a man it’s worth my noting this burden falls disproportionately on women. There’s a certain stage when your parents become less of a practical and emotional resource and more of a concern - and it’s a very difficult place to be. Which is why I’m so excited to be able to announce a new partnership with brilliant elder-care experts Taking Care, part of AXA Health. They help sandwichers find peace of mind, and older people live confidently, by providing personal alarms and emergency response services, plus advice, guidance and other resources. Thanks to both COVER Magazine and Health & Protection picking up the news about the partnership And all Equipsme members can now access those resources, and discounts, as part of every Equipsme plan. We think we’re one of the first health insurance providers to be thinking about our customer’s health concerns from this angle - because we know how important family is. It’s why we believe we’re also the only provider who lets people upgrade their plans individually to add on partners and children, why our nurse support line supports not just our members’ health but their concerns about family members, and why we’ve made sure things like our dental and optical cover expand with families, instead of diluting a single pot. You can read all about the partnership here: https://lnkd.in/dArgMd6a and find out more about Taking Care, part of AXA Health here www.taking.care #healthinsurance #carers #eldercare #ageconcern