Vermont

One of the states with the healthiest adult population is Vermont. In fact, it was ranked 2nd place in America’s Health Rankings assessment for 2013. Vermont also made it to the top ten states with the highest scores in preventing diabetes, smoking, and obesity.

Heart disease, which is usually connected with obesity, ranks second as the state’s main cause of death after cancer, and stroke ranks fifth. The good news is that fatalities due to cardiovascular disease plummeted by as much as 34% within the last 10 years. If this decrease remains steady, the Healthy Vermont 2020 goal for heart disease and stroke will be met.

Along with cardiovascular disease, arthritis is also linked with obesity and often requires long term care. According to Vermont Department of Health, 36% of the state’s obese adults reported having arthritis in 2009.

 

Cost of Care

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

City Nursing Facility1 Assisted Living1 Adult Day Care2 Home Health Aide3
Barre $299 $126 N/A N/A
Brattleboro $266 $103 $98 N/A
Burlington $369 $131 N/A $156
Rutland $309 $128 N/A N/A

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

On July 19, 2013, MedAmerica introduced residents of Vermont to its Transitions™ insurance product for long term care. Transitions™ comes with a waiting period for 20, 30, or 60 calendar days, along with options for daily benefit amount that range from $80 to $300. Additional benefits include reservation for a bed in an LTC facility and respite care for those actively engaged in caregiving.

Mutual of Omaha made adjustments in the rates of inflation riders for Mutual Care® Plus and United LTCI Solutions in Vermont on March 2012. The adjustments also covered the Future Purchase Option. They were only applicable under the new business category.

Berkshire Life, Genworth, John Hancock, Prudential, and Unum are among the insurance carriers that sell long term care insurance policies in Vermont. Some of these insurers now only market group policies.

 

State Long Term Care Programs

Vermont made an initiative in 2011 to supplant its Medicare and Medicaid services with Green Mountain Care, the first single-payer health care system in the country that operates on the state level. Legislation regarding the Green Mountain Care points out that the system will oversee Medicare after receiving permission by the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Medicaid under Green Mountain Care pays for health supplies for diabetics, home health care, and prescribed medications. Limited coverage applies to nursing facility care and various kinds of therapy.

Moreover, Medicaid provides financial support to Choices For Care, a long term care program for Vermont’s senior citizens and people with disabilities. Services under Choices For Care can be administered in homes, assisted living centers, residential care settings, and skilled nursing facilities. Both dependents of skilled care and custodial care benefit from this program.

 

More Resources

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

Division of Disability and Aging Services

Comes with resources about programs and services that help Vermont’s seniors and persons with disabilities.

Vermont Health Care Association

Helps in locating different types of LTC settings that are closest to a state resident’s home.

 

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