Advance Planning for Health Care
You can reduce your fears and worry about your future health care
by planning now. If you take the time to consider your
possible need for Long Term care or your desires for life support
now you and your family won't be caught of guard in an emergency.
Some things you should think about are:
- Long term Care Insurance
Long term care is not covered by most health insurance. Long
term care insurance may allow for more home health care if you have a
serious or prolonged illness or injury. If care can not be provided in
the home it may also cover the extremely high cost of Nursing Home care.
- The
Arkansas Long Term Care Ombudsman Program has information on LTC costs
- If you are on Medicare, the
Arkansas SHIIP page has information for you. But one unfortunate
fact is, that if you are old enough to be on Medicare the cost of
the LTC insurance may be very high. So it is important to consider
this insurance at a younger and possibly healthier age.
- Living Will
The recent situation regarding Terry Schiavo illustrated the importance
of a Living Will and a Health Care Proxy.
UAMS has a Living Will form you can print
and use.
- Health Care Proxy
Health Care proxy form from UAMS.
- The American Bar
Association has an online
'toolkit' to help you with a living will.