Colorado

By minimizing obesity and promoting an active lifestyle among residents, Colorado made it to 8th place in America’s Health Rankings by the United Health Foundation. At 20.5%, Colorado had the lowest percentage of adult obesity among states in 2013. It also ranked 3rd in least prevalence of physical inactivity. With the majority of the population concentrated around the capital city of Denver, many areas in Colorado have minimal air pollution levels.

Some health concerns that Colorado residents must deal with include a relatively high incidence of binge drinking among adults and the prevalent health disparity that is connected to educational background. The state also sees a growing number of diabetes cases, with 7.4% of adults affected in 2013.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment points out that 15.5% of adults had arthritis in 2011. Arthritis developed mostly in senior citizens, with more cases reported on women than on men. About one in three obese Colorado adults developed arthritis, showing the link between these two medical conditions.

From 1990 to 2010, the life expectancy of Colorado residents rose from 77.2 years to 80.4 years. Females still have a significantly higher life expectancy compared to their male counterparts. This also means greater chances of necessitating long-term care due to aging-related illnesses or frailty.

 

Cost of Care

Below are the average daily cost* of long-term care services in Colorado.

City Nursing Facility1 Assisted Living1 Adult Day Care2 Home Health Aide3
Aurora $266 $120 $47 $126
Colorado Springs $259 $122 $68 $138
Denver $283 $116 $68 $126

Notes:

*Costs are rounded to the nearest whole dollar.
1Daily average for a private room.
2Based on five days of care per week.
3Based on six hours of care per day, five days per week.

 

Insurance Options

John Hancock included Colorado to the states that use its web-based marketing system for long-term care insurance, called LTC Captivate. LTC Captivate became active in a total of 36 states on May 20, 2013.

On September 10, 2013, Transamerica launched its recently-created long-term care insurance product in Colorado. Known as TransCare III, this product provides coverage to suit individual policyholders and certain associations. Attributes found in TransCare III include a raised maximum daily benefit amount, a convenient Couples Discount, and a longer waiting period. Transamerica added a few riders as well.

The Privileged Choice® Flex 2, an LTCI product by Genworth, became available to interested policyholders in Colorado on November 11, 2013. It has a lower Maximum Issue Age at 75, and an additional 4% Compound Inflation Option. While other states with Privileged Choice Flex 2 implement gender-based pricing, Colorado maintains its unisex rates. Additional features include a revised definition of Couples, four kinds of underwriting, and some reimbursement from Formal Care Providers.

Colorado residents can also buy LTCI policies from American General Life, Bankers Life, Equitable Life, LifeSecure, MedAmerica, Mutual of Omaha, Northwestern, Physicians Mutual, and State Farm.

 

State Long-Term Care Programs

Medicare can provide some coverage for long-term care, such as services from a skilled nursing facility or home health agency. Care recipients can also get medications through Medicare Part D. The Medicare Savings Program can help clients in paying premiums if their monthly incomes fall within assigned limits.

The Medicaid program can also give long-term care services, provided that its beneficiaries meet the income and asset eligibility guidelines. In Colorado, a state-based Marketplace called Connect for Health Colorado oversees some aspects of the program. Colorado also proceeded with Medicaid expansion that began on January 1, 2014.

The Colorado Program Eligibility and Application Kit, or PEAK, enables residents to access public assistance benefits through information technology. Aside from improving the application process, Colorado PEAK also helps individuals determine their eligibility.

 

More Resources

To get more specific information regarding long-term care services and insurance options in Colorado, please check the following websites:

Colorado State University Extension

Provides LTCI information, some resource links, and a chart for comparing LTCI policies.

Department of Regulatory Agencies

Helps with long-term care planning through comprehensive LTCI information.

Department of Public Health and Environment

Gives an overview of LTC facilities that come with resource links.

 

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