As a caregiver, you will confront many choices about treatments, home care, and therapies. You may even find that personal finances and health insurance are the obstacles preventing you from selecting the best care for your loved one. At the point that your loved one requiresa particular treatment, it is likely that you will do whatever you can to provide that care, including sacrificing personal finances and compromising your family’s stability. But there are ways to avoid having to make these painful choices.

As medicine and health care improve, people are living longer with serious and chronic illnesses. Long-term care has become a part of modern living, and there are resources available to help you plan for this. Start by familiarizing yourself with your loved one’s health insurance plan, as well as government entitlements and public assistance.

What you can do
These are confusing systems to navigate through, but inquiring early on will empower you to obtain the care your loved one needs, when it’s needed, at a reasonable price or perhaps for free. 

If you approach these important administrative tasks of caregiving early on, you may prevent unnecessary financial pressures and compromises regarding work, housing, and education. Once you get insurance benefits and government assistance in order, you can better attend to your loved one’s needs at home and make quality care available.

Our Caregivers handbook provides practical tips for understanding insurance and financial assistance. It covers the basics you should know about when planning for, and purchasing care. It will also give you tips for advocating for your loved one to secure medications, treatments and services if payment is denied.

Download the Complete Chapter to learn about:

• Working with the Insurance Company
• What to do When Insurance Won’t Pay
• Appealing a Decision
• Professionals Who Can Help
• Options for Financial Assistance

Additional Resources