Planning Ahead: Traditional vs. Hybrid Long-Term Care Insurance in South Carolina

Long-term care insurance (LTCI) helps cover custodial and support services that Medicare typically does not, protecting retirement assets and preserving choices about where and how care is received. This article explains what LTC insurance is, why it matters specifically for South Carolina residents in the current (2024) market, and how traditional standalone policies and hybrid products (life insurance or annuity-based with LTC acceleration) operate differently. Readers will learn the types of care covered, policy mechanics and underwriting considerations, a side-by-side attribute comparison, practical buyer personas, and how the South Carolina Long-Term Care Partnership Program interacts with planning. Practical checklists, EAV-style comparison tables, and actionable next steps are included to help residents weigh cost, flexibility, and legacy goals when deciding whether and when to buy LTC coverage. Throughout, the focus is educational and designed to guide decisions; later sections include brief, unobtrusive invitations to request personalized planning or quotes from licensed advisors if desired.

What Is Long-Term Care Insurance and Why Is It Essential in South Carolina?

Long-term care insurance is a financial product that pays benefits when an insured person needs help with activities of daily living (ADLs) or has significant cognitive impairment, thereby offsetting care costs that would otherwise come from personal savings or Medicaid. Benefits are typically triggered by documented inability to perform a set number of ADLs or by physician-documented cognitive decline, and the policy then pays according to a daily benefit, benefit period, and other contract terms. For South Carolina residents, the case for planning is driven by rising long-term care demand[1], geographic variation in service availability, and the gap between Medicare’s acute-care focus and the long-duration needs of custodial care. The South Carolina Long-Term Care Partnership Program also adds planning value because certified partnership policies can protect assets from Medicaid spend-down under specified rules[2]. Understanding what LTC insurance covers and why early planning matters sets up a clearer evaluation of traditional versus hybrid options, which we examine in the next section.

What Types of Care Does Long-Term Care Insurance Cover?

Long-term care insurance typically covers a range of services across home, community, and facility settings that focus on assistance rather than curative medical care. Home health services commonly include help with ADLs, homemaker services, and skilled nursing when authorized; these options preserve independence and often cost less than institutional care[3]. Assisted living and memory care offer structured daily support and supervision for people who need help but not full nursing care, with memory care including specialized programming for cognitive impairment. Nursing homes provide the highest level of custodial and skilled care, frequently used for complex medical needs or when supervision around the clock is required; benefit triggers, documentation, and facility licensing influence coverage. Understanding these care types helps match policy benefit design—daily benefit level, benefit period, and inflation protection—to realistic local care pathways.

Why Should South Carolina Residents Plan for Long-Term Care Early?

Planning early improves underwriting outcomes, lowers premiums, and preserves more options for benefit design if a person remains healthy at application, which typically reduces insurer risk and cost. Purchasing in midlife often secures lower age-based rates and simplifies access to features such as longer benefit periods and robust inflation protection, while waiting increases the likelihood of rating up or being declined for health reasons. South Carolina residents should also consider regional provider availability and the possibility of higher costs in specific counties or urban areas[4]; early planning lets buyers lock in designs that align with projected local care needs. Finally, integrating LTC decisions with retirement income and the Partnership Program requires lead time to coordinate benefit levels, estimated asset protection, and estate goals, so earlier action preserves strategic flexibility.

How Does Traditional Long-Term Care Insurance Work?

Traditional long-term care insurance is a standalone policy that pays benefits specifically for qualified long-term care services based on policy triggers, benefit levels, and contract provisions; it separates LTC coverage from life insurance or annuity products. Policies define triggers—often inability to perform a set number of activities of daily living (ADLs) or severe cognitive impairment—and specify an elimination period before benefits begin, a daily or monthly benefit cap, and a benefit period measured in years or total dollars. Premiums for traditional policies are typically level at issuance but may be subject to rate actions by insurers depending on policy terms, state regulation, and insurer experience; optional riders like inflation protection increase premiums but preserve purchasing power over time. The claim process usually requires medical documentation and assessment, and the policy pays as services are billed (reimbursement) or as indemnity based on meeting triggers; understanding contract language is critical to ensure coverage matches expected care settings and cost exposures.

What Are the Key Benefits and Limitations of Traditional LTC Insurance?

Traditional LTC insurance offers flexibility in benefit design, which allows purchasers to select daily benefit amounts, benefit periods, and various riders such as inflation protection or shared/couple benefits to tailor coverage to projected needs. This customization is a benefit because it permits direct alignment with local care cost projections and personal legacy or asset-protection goals; for many buyers, policy features can be calibrated to anticipated home-care vs facility care use. However, traditional policies carry the “use-it-or-lose-it” limitation—if benefits are not used, there is typically no death benefit—so premium dollars paid without claims do not directly transfer to heirs. Additionally, some traditional policyholders face premium increase risk if insurers adjust rates for blocks of policies or if regulatory environments change; buyers should compare guaranteed-issue features and review state-level protections when evaluating options.

How Do Premiums and Coverage Flexibility Affect Traditional LTC Policies?

Premiums reflect underwriting variables (age, health, tobacco use), benefit design (daily benefit, benefit period, inflation protection), and insurer pricing strategies; choosing higher benefits or inflation riders increases premiums but reduces future cost exposure to rising care prices. Coverage flexibility—such as the ability to add shared/couple benefits or convert to shorter elimination periods—can provide tailored protection but also complicates comparison shopping because similar-sounding features may behave differently contractually across carriers. Underwriting frameworks vary; simplified issue or non-medical underwriting options exist but typically cost more or limit benefits. Buyers should request illustrative premium scenarios and examine policy language on renewability and rate-change mechanisms, since guaranteed renewable language and contractual caps on increases offer different levels of rate protection over the policy lifetime.

What Are Hybrid Long-Term Care Insurance Policies and How Do They Differ?

Hybrid long-term care policies combine life insurance or annuities with an LTC benefit rider so that the premium funds both a death benefit and accelerated long-term care benefits; if LTC is not used, beneficiaries typically receive a death benefit or remaining contract value. These products often appeal to buyers who dislike “use-it-or-lose-it” risk because the hybrid structure preserves estate value while still providing access to LTC funds when needed. Funding options include single-pay, limited-pay, or multi-pay arrangements; single-pay hybrids turn a lump sum into a funded pool that supports LTC acceleration and estate transfer mechanisms, while limited-pay spreads that funding over a number of years. The trade-offs include higher upfront cost compared with the first-year premium of traditional policies in some cases, but hybrids frequently offer more predictable cost structures and reduced rate-change risk because the product is backed by life or annuity guarantees rather than a standalone LTC block experience.

How Do Hybrid LTC Policies Provide Both Care Coverage and Death Benefits?

Hybrid policies accelerate the death benefit or annuity value to pay long-term care claims, depleting that benefit when benefits are paid for care; if the LTC benefit is not fully used, the remaining death benefit passes to beneficiaries according to the contract terms. In a single-pay example, a funded contract establishes a pool that is reduced dollar-for-dollar by LTC payouts; when the insured dies with unused pool value, beneficiaries receive the remaining death benefit. Annuity-based hybrids may pay indemnity-style LTC payments drawn from accumulated value, and life insurance hybrids accelerate death benefits to cover care while allowing remainder to pass at death. Contract mechanics and definition of “acceleration” vary, so buyers should compare how each product applies claims against death benefit, whether payments are indemnity or reimbursement, and whether unused value is returned to heirs.

What Are the Advantages and Potential Drawbacks of Hybrid LTC Insurance?

Advantages of hybrid LTC include preservation of legacy value through death benefits, reduced concern about wasted premiums, and often more predictable premium obligations compared to standalone policies that have experienced rate adjustments. Many hybrids also simplify decision-making for people who want LTC protection without the trade-off of losing estate value, and some funding options can be used strategically for estate planning and liquidity management. Drawbacks include higher initial outlay for comparable LTC coverage levels in some designs, potentially lower flexibility in tailoring daily benefits or benefit periods compared with traditional policies, and varying tax and cash-surrender outcomes that should be reviewed with advisors. For buyers seeking both care protection and estate transfer goals, hybrids present compelling mechanics; for those needing highly customized benefit streams, traditional structures may offer more precise alignment.

How Do Traditional and Hybrid Long-Term Care Insurance Compare in South Carolina?

Comparing traditional and hybrid LTC policies requires looking at premium structure, benefit guarantees, underwriting, death benefit presence, flexibility of benefit design, and local market factors in South Carolina that affect expected care costs. Traditional policies emphasize customizable benefit architecture—daily benefit, benefit period, and inflation riders—while hybrids emphasize capital preservation and death benefit protection via acceleration of life or annuity values. Underwriting may be similar across product types in health assessment terms, though hybrids funded with large single premiums sometimes have streamlined issue pathways for certain applicants; premium volatility risk differs because hybrids’ guarantees are anchored to life or annuity frameworks whereas traditional LTC insurers have at times adjusted premiums on past blocks. Evaluating these attributes in relation to a South Carolina resident’s health, liquidity, legacy goals, and county-level care pricing is essential to choosing an approach that balances cost and objectives.

Policy Type	Primary Attribute	How It Typically Behaves in SC Planning
Traditional LTC	Premium and benefit modularity	Offers tailored daily benefits and inflation riders but may face insurer rate actions over time
Hybrid LTC (life-rider)	Death benefit preservation	Converts unpaid LTC pool to beneficiary value, supporting legacy goals while funding care
Hybrid LTC (annuity-based)	Predictable funding	Uses annuity accumulation to finance LTC acceleration, reducing premium volatility concerns

This EAV-style comparison highlights contractual differences and planning outcomes for South Carolina residents. Readers can use these attributes to match product mechanics with their risk tolerance and estate objectives.

What Are the Differences in Cost, Flexibility, and Benefits Between Traditional and Hybrid LTC?

Cost differences hinge on funding approach: traditional policies spread premiums over time and may appear cheaper initially but carry future rate-change exposure, while hybrids often require higher initial funding or limited-pay premiums that trade off liquidity for guaranteed benefit preservation. Flexibility differs insofar as traditional policies allow more granular benefit design—daily benefit, benefit period in years, and inflation choices—whereas hybrids often offer bundled benefit pools with less micro-configuration but greater certainty about future premium behavior. Benefit differences include presence of a death benefit for hybrids versus the lack of such a benefit for most traditional policies, a factor that affects estate planning and legacy preferences. Choosing between them depends on whether a person prioritizes lowest initial outlay, predictable transfers to heirs, or maximum customization of long-term care payout patterns.

Which LTC Policy Type Is Best Suited for Different South Carolina Residents?

Matching policy types to buyer personas clarifies trade-offs: a legacy-focused couple with sizable liquid assets may prefer a hybrid single-pay or limited-pay design to preserve estate value while funding potential care, whereas a middle-income homeowner with limited liquid capital might lean toward a traditional policy with thoughtful inflation protection and a conservative daily benefit. A younger, healthy professional who values customization and lower long-term premium commitments may select a traditional policy early to lock in lower issue ages, while someone later in life facing underwriting challenges may find a hybrid with guaranteed funding options more accessible. When assessing fit, consider health underwriting, liquidity needs, partnership certification (if asset protection is a goal), and regional care costs; obtaining quotes and scenario illustrations is the practical next step to validate the hypothetical fit for each persona.

What Are the Current Long-Term Care Costs and Insurance Premiums in South Carolina?

Long-term care costs vary across South Carolina by care setting, county, and provider characteristics, and premiums for LTC insurance reflect those local cost pressures combined with benefit design and applicant risk factors. Rather than presenting fixed numeric ps, which fluctuate by marketplace and locality, this section identifies cost drivers and the importance of obtaining county-level quotes and provider estimates when planning. Key cost drivers include staffing wages (a primary expense for care providers), real estate and facility overhead in urban centers, the intensity of clinical needs (memory care and skilled nursing carry premiums), and inflationary trends that have accelerated pricing pressure in recent years[5]. Premiums are influenced by applicant age and health at issue, chosen benefit level/duration, inflation protection selection, and insurer pricing strategy; modeling several scenarios helps align expectations with realistic local care pathways.

Care Setting	Cost Characteristic	Typical SC Planning Consideration
Home Health Care	Hourly or per-visit billing, variable by skill level	Often lower than facility care but cumulative hours can rise quickly; evaluate daily benefit adequacy
Assisted Living	Monthly facility fees, with memory care premiums	Costs vary by level of services and urban/rural location; factor in moves to higher-care units over time
Nursing Home (Skilled/Custodial)	Daily or monthly rates, influenced by licensing and staffing	Highest-cost setting for long durations; consider benefit period and inflation protection when modeling needs

What Are the Average Monthly Costs for Assisted Living, Nursing Homes, and Home Health Care in SC?

Average costs differ by county and care intensity, and authoritative numeric averages should be obtained from state reports, industry surveys, and local providers for 2024 specifics[6]; planners should consult South Carolina Department of Health resources and national surveys for baseline comparisons. Assisted living typically charges monthly fees that reflect apartment type, care level, and amenities; memory care units often add a premium for specialized staffing and programming. Nursing homes are billed daily or monthly, with semi-private and private room differentials and skilled-care components raising costs for higher acuity. Home health care is commonly billed hourly or via service packages; cumulative weekly hours for heavy assistance can approach institutional costs over time, so daily benefit sizing should reflect realistic use patterns. For precise numbers, use local provider rate sheets and state-reported averages to test whether proposed policy benefit levels would adequately cover projected needs in your county.

What Factors Influence Long-Term Care Insurance Premiums in South Carolina?

Premiums are driven by applicant-specific underwriting factors—age, health history, tobacco use, and sometimes occupation or driving record—plus policy design decisions such as benefit level, benefit period, elimination period, and inflation protection selection. Market and insurer-specific factors also play roles: insurer pricing strategies, experience with claims in a product line, and regulatory oversight can affect new-issue pricing and the risk of future rate adjustments for blocks of policies. Regional care cost trends indirectly affect product design, since insurers model expected payout levels based on provider cost environments; rising local wages or facility operating costs can translate into higher pricing pressure over time. Finally, discounts for couple/shared benefits, non-smoker classes, or payment-mode discounts (annual vs monthly) may materially change premium estimates.

How Does the South Carolina Long-Term Care Partnership Program Affect Insurance Planning?

The South Carolina Long-Term Care Partnership Program allows certified partnership policies to provide dollar-for-dollar asset protection for Medicaid eligibility up to the policy’s dollar limits[7], meaning that benefits paid by a certified policy can increase the amount of assets a person may retain if they later require Medicaid. This program is designed to encourage private LTC planning while preserving a pathway to Medicaid for prolonged needs; however, certification requirements and documentation milestones are important and differ from non-partnership products. Policy certification ensures that the policy meets program rules (qualified benefits and inflation standards, as applicable) so that payout amounts translate to protected assets under Medicaid spend-down rules. Leveraging the Partnership Program requires matching benefit limits to asset-protection goals and keeping careful records of benefit payments for Medicaid qualification.

Partnership Element	Program Attribute	Planning Implication
Asset Protection Rule	Dollar-for-dollar protection up to policy limits	Policies certified by the program increase the assets a claimant may retain when applying for Medicaid
Certification	Must be a certified Partnership policy at issue	Verify certification status before purchase; uncertified policies do not carry asset-protection benefits
Documentation	Claims history substantiates protected amount	Maintain records of payouts and policy documents to support Medicaid eligibility determinations

What Is the Dollar-for-Dollar Asset Protection Offered by the Partnership Program?

Dollar-for-dollar asset protection means that for each dollar the partnership policy pays in benefits, the policyholder can retain an equivalent amount of assets when applying for Medicaid, up to the policy’s total protected amount[8]; for example, policy payouts expand the resource allowance by the same dollar amount of benefits paid. This mechanism effectively reduces the need for spend-down of personal savings by the amount benefits were paid, preserving more estate value for beneficiaries. The protection only applies if the policy is a certified partnership product and Medicaid eligibility rules are otherwise met, so purchasers must confirm certification and consult Medicaid rules for documentation requirements. Understanding this conversion from policy payout to asset protection is essential when aligning benefit limits with intended asset-preservation outcomes.

How Can South Carolina Residents Leverage the Partnership Program When Choosing LTC Insurance?

To leverage the Partnership Program, residents should verify that candidate policies are certified partnership products, select benefit limits consistent with the asset-protection goals they seek, and coordinate purchases with estate and Medicaid planning advisors to ensure compliance with look-back and transfer rules. A practical checklist includes verifying certification on policy illustrations, matching the policy’s benefit ceiling to the amount of assets a person wishes to protect, and maintaining thorough claims documentation to present during Medicaid applications if necessary. Coordination with elder-law attorneys or financial planners helps integrate the partnership strategy with broader retirement planning and avoid unintended disqualifying transfers. Careful alignment of policy design and certification with documented estate objectives unlocks the partnership program’s intended asset-preservation benefits.

- Checklist to Verify and Use Partnership Benefits:

• Confirm the policy is listed as a certified Partnership product before purchase.
• Choose a benefit limit that reflects the asset protection amount you want to achieve.
• Maintain detailed records of benefit payments and related claims documentation for Medicaid purposes.

Using the Partnership Program as part of LTC planning provides a concrete asset-protection pathway when coordinated thoughtfully with legal and financial advisors, making it a valuable tool for many South Carolina residents.

What Role Does Medicare Play in Long-Term Care Planning in South Carolina?

Medicare primarily covers acute medical care and short-term skilled services following hospitalization, not long-term custodial care[9]; therefore, relying on Medicare alone leaves significant gaps for most long-term care needs. Medicare Part A may pay for limited skilled nursing facility services under strict conditions and for a limited time, and Part B covers certain home health services when criteria are met, but ongoing assistance with ADLs or round-the-clock supervision typically falls outside Medicare’s core benefits. This limitation means that residents must plan for longer-duration custodial care through private insurance, out-of-pocket savings, Medicaid planning, or hybrid products that bring private funding into play. Understanding Medicare’s boundaries and the timing of potential benefits is essential so LTC planning can fill the coverage gaps and align with broader retirement income strategies.

Why Does Medicare Not Cover Most Long-Term Care Services?

Medicare’s statutory focus is on acute and skilled medical services rather than custodial care[10], so coverage is limited to short-term skilled nursing or therapy after qualifying hospital stays and time-limited home health under strict medical necessity rules. Custodial care—help with ADLs like bathing, dressing, and eating—is considered personal assistance rather than medically skilled care and is therefore outside Medicare’s primary benefit design. Medicare’s limited coverage creates planning implications: beneficiaries who need ongoing custodial support will typically rely on Medicaid (if eligible), private LTC insurance benefits, or personal funds. Recognizing this distinction clarifies why early LTC insurance planning or coordination with Medicaid/Partnership strategies matters for preserving retirement assets and care choice.

What Supplemental Options Are Available to Fill Medicare’s Long-Term Care Gaps?

Several supplemental options exist to fill gaps, including private long-term care insurance (traditional or hybrid), Medicaid planning via the Partnership Program or elder-law strategies, Veterans’ benefits for eligible veterans, and community-based supports that reduce care intensity. Each option carries trade-offs: private LTC insurance transfers cost risk to insurers but has underwriting limitations and premium costs; Medicaid provides extensive coverage for low-income individuals but requires asset qualification; veterans’ benefits have eligibility rules and service-history connections; community supports can delay institutionalization but may not fully cover high-acuity needs. Combining options—e.g., private LTC insurance for primary coverage plus targeted Medicaid planning for catastrophic exposure—can provide a balanced approach to maintaining care access and asset protection.

- Supplemental options and quick pros/cons:

• Private LTC insurance (traditional/hybrid): transfers cost risk; involves underwriting and premiums.
• Medicaid planning/Partnership: strong asset protection when certified; requires coordination and eligibility rules.
• Veterans’ benefits/community supports: helpful supplements but vary by eligibility and availability.

Choosing the right combination depends on health status, income and asset profile, veteran eligibility, and local support availability; integrated planning yields the most durable outcomes.

When and How Should South Carolina Residents Purchase Long-Term Care Insurance?

Timing and approach to purchasing LTC insurance hinge on balancing lower premiums and easier underwriting at younger ages against the cost of paying premiums for a longer period. Generally, the window where underwriting is favorable and premiums remain relatively affordable stretches from mid-50s through early 60s for many applicants, but personal health, family longevity, liquidity, and retirement timing influence the optimal decision. Shopping effectively includes comparing apples-to-apples illustrations, verifying Partnership certification if asset protection is a goal, understanding inflation-protection options, and requesting multiple quotes from licensed agents to capture variations in underwriting and pricing. Integration into retirement plans involves mapping expected retirement income, emergency liquidity needs, and estate objectives to a policy design that protects assets without creating undue strain on cash flow.

What Is the Ideal Age Range to Buy LTC Insurance for Lower Premiums and Easier Eligibility?

While individual circumstances vary, buying coverage in the 50s to early 60s often strikes a balance between affordability and health-based underwriting success[11]: premiums are typically lower at younger ages and health conditions that trigger declines are less prevalent. Purchasing too early increases cumulative premium outflows before potential claim need, whereas buying too late risks underwriting declines or very high premiums; therefore, buyers should weigh life expectancy, family health history, and retirement timing to identify their window. Alternatives for those past the preferred age include hybrid products with guaranteed funding options and limited-pay structures that compress premium payments, as well as smaller traditional benefit designs targeting highest-risk exposures. Ultimately, modeling scenarios across age bands and health outcomes helps choose the approach with the best expected utility.

This article is educational and generated to help readers evaluate options; if you would like a personalized LTC planning consultation or a tailored insurance quote, consider requesting a consultation with a licensed plan advisor who can provide individualized comparisons and premium illustrations that reflect your age, health, and county-level care cost expectations. Such a request converts the high-level guidance above into concrete numbers and underwriting pathways without obligation.

How Can LTC Insurance Be Integrated Into a Comprehensive Retirement Plan in South Carolina?

Integrating LTC insurance into retirement planning means aligning coverage with projected retirement income, Social Security timing, Medicare coverage windows, emergency liquidity needs, and legacy goals, so that protection for long-term care does not unintentionally jeopardize essential retirement cash flow. Practical steps include forecasting likely care scenarios and costs in your county, modeling policy benefits against projected Medicaid eligibility timelines, and ensuring emergency cash reserves remain separate from premiums to avoid forcing policy lapse during market volatility. Coordination with financial planners and elder-law attorneys helps synchronize policy design with estate planning strategies and tax considerations that may be state-specific. Regular review—especially around major life events like retirement, significant asset changes, or health shifts—ensures LTC choices remain aligned with evolving retirement circumstances.

- Integration checklist for retirement planning:

• Map likely retirement income sources and emergency liquidity before committing to premium payments.
• Model policy benefit adequacy using local care scenarios and desired legacy outcomes.
• Coordinate policy selection with estate and Medicaid planning professionals to avoid unintended consequences.

These steps help ensure LTC insurance strengthens retirement security rather than creating funding strain, and they form the foundation for informed decision-making in the South Carolina context.

This article is educational and intended to generate business leads: if you are ready to move from planning to action, consider requesting a personalized LTC planning consultation or tailored insurance quote from a licensed advisor who can model premium and benefit scenarios specific to your age, health, county, and estate objectives. A licensed advisor can provide the concrete illustrations and underwriting expectations necessary to choose between traditional and hybrid approaches.

This article is educational and designed to generate business leads; if you would like assistance turning these insights into a personalized plan, a licensed LTC planning professional can provide tailored illustrations, Partnership certification checks, and quote comparisons that reflect your South Carolina county context and personal objectives. Requesting a consultation will translate the guidance above into actionable next steps specific to your situation.

References

• American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI). (Year). *Long-Term Care Insurance Sourcebook*. (Generic placeholder for industry data on demand).
• South Carolina Department of Insurance. (Year). *South Carolina Long-Term Care Partnership Program Guide*. (Generic placeholder for state program details).
• Genworth Cost of Care Survey. (Year). *Cost of Care Survey*. (Generic placeholder for cost comparison data).
• South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC). (Year). *Long-Term Care Facility Data*. (Generic placeholder for regional cost variations).
• National Council on Aging (NCOA). (Year). *Trends in Long-Term Care Costs*. (Generic placeholder for inflation trends).
• South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) or AARP. (Year). *Cost of Care in South Carolina Report*. (Generic placeholder for state-specific cost data).
• South Carolina Department of Insurance. (Year). *South Carolina Long-Term Care Partnership Program Guide*. (Generic placeholder for state program details).
• South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS). (Year). *Medicaid Eligibility Rules for Long-Term Care*. (Generic placeholder for Medicaid asset protection rules).
• Medicare.gov. (Year). *What Medicare Covers*. (Generic placeholder for Medicare coverage details).
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). (Year). *Medicare & You Handbook*. (Generic placeholder for Medicare's statutory focus).
• American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI). (Year). *When to Buy Long-Term Care Insurance*. (Generic placeholder for optimal buying age recommendations).

For assistance contact Ben Mauldin @ 803-920-8827, Mauldin Insurance Agent, ben@mauldininsurancegroup.com, www.mauldininsurancegroup.com