How to Prepare for Care Costs With a Disability

Access to affordable, complete care can be a challenge for many adults.

If you are someone who is living with a disability, you need to know that you will have access to the care you need now and in the future. You also need to know that you and your family will be able to afford these options. So, how can you do both and give yourself some peace of mind? You can get started by completing these crucial health care and financial planning steps.

Verify Your Medicare Eligibility If you’re approaching your 65th birthday, you should begin researching your Medicare options right now. This way, you can better understand the various Medicare parts and the coverage offered by each and make an informed decision during the next enrollment period. Even if you are not an older adult, you should still research your Medicare eligibility since your disability may still qualify you for coverage before the age of 65. You should also research whether a Medicare Advantage plan is the right choice for you. Aetna and other insurers offer MA plans which can provide additional benefits for dental, vision, hearing, and prescription drugs.

Check for Medicaid Coverages Depending on your income, you may also want to look into your Medicaid eligibility. This program differs from Medicare in that there are no age requirements. Those who are enrolled in Medicaid-sponsored insurance can take advantage of free healthcare services or may only need to pay small premiums each month to have access to care. You do need to meet certain financial requirements to be eligible for Medicaid, however, so this may not be an option for everyone. If it is, though, it can be a major boost to limited incomes.

Research Other Health Options For those living with disabilities who are not Medicare or Medicaid eligible, finding the right health insurance coverage is important for financial security. If you work, you should check with your employer about insurance offerings, since these plans tend to be more affordable. You can also research plans and enroll using the Health Insurance Marketplace but be sure to do so during annual enrollment periods, which tend to run from November to early December. Otherwise, you will need to wait another year to get coverage.

Plan for Long-Term Care Needs One aspect of care that many people forget to plan for is long-term care. This is an important need to consider, especially since the need for long-term care is so prevalent in later life. To make sure you can afford the care you need in the future, you should research insurance options and think about other ways you can plan to cover long-term care expenses, such as putting additional funds into savings or leveraging your home’s value to pay for care. By thinking about your long-term care needs now, you can also research the cost of different types of long-term care, such as assisted living communities and skilled nursing homes.

Consider End-of-Life Expenses Last but certainly not least, you have to think about how your family’s financial needs will be met when you are no longer around. Because thinking about death can be unsettling, many people forget to plan for final expenses. That often leaves loved ones struggling to cover funeral costs and pay any outstanding debts — and all in their time of grief. You can save your family this heartache by planning ahead for expenses after death. At the very least, you should have enough life insurance to pay off major debts and help with burial costs. To provide even more financial peace of mind, you should also look for additional insurance options, like burial plans.

Planning for your future health care costs isn’t just about preserving your access to care. It’s also about preserving your family’s access to the financial resources they need to survive and thrive, even if you can no longer provide those resources. By taking the time and effort to map out your finances in relation to your care needs, you are taking the initiative to fully protect the health and well-being of the people you love, as well as your future self.

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