Because you can't tell when you'll need help. You may need it in three years or three days; it's impossible to predict how long you'll be in good health or if you'll suffer from long term effects of an accident or debilitating disease. The sooner you start planning for the unexpected in the future, the more prepared you’ll be to manage your care.

• Your risk of being ineligible for any type of financial assistance including insurance may increase.
• The overall cost of insurance coverage will increase because premium rates are based on your age when you apply.
• If you don’t qualify for insurance because of a health concern, you could be left responsible for the cost of care if you need long term care services.
• Your family may sacrifice income by reducing their hours at work to care for you and you may become a burden to them.

Medicare provides minimal financial support for LTC services. Medicare was designed to pay for acute medical conditions and post-rehabilitative care; it was not intended to pay for costs associated with LTC. To qualify for nursing home care under Medicare, a three-day hospital stay is required, and care must be rehabilitative in nature. If these conditions are met, Medicare will pay for the first 20 days. Days 21-100 require a co-payment. There is no coverage after day 100.