Nebraska
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that Nebraska had a population of 1,868,516 in 2013. This population figure grew by 2.3% between April 2010 and July 2013. As with many states, Nebraska has a nearly-equal proportion in the number of male and female residents. In 2012, women slightly outnumbered men by 0.5%. In that year, adults 65 years of age and above comprised almost 14% of the state’s inhabitants.
Aging puts a person at higher risk of developing a chronic disease, which can necessitate skilled nursing facility care. In 2010, Nebraska recorded 3,355 fatalities from heart disease, 565 from Alzheimer’s, and 452 from diabetes according to the state’s Department of Health and Human Services. Arthritis was the most prevalent chronic ailment in 2011, followed by diabetes.
Among states, Nebraska initiated the creation of a registry for Parkinson’s cases. It still remains as the only state to do so. The registry saw 270 new and confirmed cases of Parkinson’s in 2013, increasing the total number of confirmed cases in Nebraska since 1997 to 13,083. Douglas and Lancaster counties had the largest population of Parkinson’s patients.
Cost of Care
Below are the average daily cost* of long-term care services in Nebraska.
| City | Nursing Facility1 | Assisted Living1 | Adult Day Care2 | Home Health Aide3 |
| Omaha | $242 | $121 | $30 | $138 |
| Lincoln | $235 | $99 | $41 | $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
Adult residents of Nebraska can get insured for long-term care by purchasing the TransCare® III product by Transamerica. A policy centered on individuals, TransCare III comes with an elimination period credit rider that can be used in home-based care and adult day services. Other features include increases in the daily benefit amount and couples discount. On September 10, 2013, TransCare III became available for prospective enrollees in Nebraska.
The Long-Term Care Partnership took effect in the state on July 1, 2006. Partnership policies are available from Bankers Life, Genworth, John Hancock, LifeSecure, Massachusetts Mutual, MedAmerica, New York Life, State Farm, and Transamerica.
State Long-Term Care Programs
Medicare Part B pays for health supplies and equipment while Medicare Part D covers prescribed drugs. This government health program mostly benefits older adults with limited financial resources. AARP, or the American Association of Retired Persons, reports that 98% of Nebraska’s seniors were Medicare enrollees in 2011. The overall number of the state’s Medicare clients in that year totaled 280,000.
Nebraska did not proceed with expanding Medicaid, another government health program, to more impoverished adult residents in 2014. The federally-facilitated Marketplace assesses whether individuals can qualify for Medicaid coverage.
The Nebraska Long-Term Care Savings Plan Contribution account allowed citizens to deposit money for paying LTC expenses, with the coordination of a bank or any other financial institution in the state. Through the Senior Care Options program, senior Medicaid beneficiaries can get the needed skilled care in nursing facilities.
More Resources
To get more specific information regarding long-term care services and insurance options in Nebraska, please check the following websites:
Nebraska Health Care Association
Helps in finding care facilities and can offer more LTC information to consumers.
Department of Health and Human Services
Provides a comprehensive list of four types of long-term care facilities.
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