Illinois § 5

§ 5.

Findings. The General Assembly finds that our nation's current financing structure relies too heavily on individuals and families to bear the financial burden of long-term supportive services. The financial burden can be so large that, for many individuals, particularly those with moderate income, the only alternative is Medicaid, which requires spending down all assets in order to qualify to receive long-term care benefits. The General Assembly declares that Medicare is not intended to cover the majority of long-term care expenses. Medicaid is the largest source of funding for long-term care in the United States, making the financing of long-term care costs a significant issue for both State and federal budgets. The growth in spending by the federal government and states for long-term care services through Medicaid will continue to increase as the American population ages. The General Assembly finds that one solution to help address the spiraling Medicaid growth and encourage individuals to plan for their long-term care is the Long Term Care Partnership Program, a public-private partnership between states and private insurance companies. It is the intent of this program to reduce future Medicaid costs for long-term care by delaying or eliminating dependence on Medicaid by providing incentives for individuals to insure against the cost of providing for their long-term care needs. The program, including the treatment of assets for Medicaid eligibility and estate recovery, shall be structured and administered in accordance with federal law and applicable federal guidelines. (Source: P.A. 95-200, eff. 8-16-07.)