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Focus Groups & Field Poll Results

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The California Partnership for Long-Term Care conducted two focus groups in 2011

• Northern California (Concord)

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• Southern California (San Diego)

Focus Group

PRIMARY: Test webpage educating consumers on long-term care

SECONDARY: Discern consumer knowledge related to long-term care issues and LTC insurance.

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Focus Group Purpose

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• Retirement, children’s college,travel or financialindependence

• Relied on retirement accountsset up through work for theirLTC needs

• Consulted with financialplanners, financial magazines,relatives and friends

Planning for the Future

• Most stated they did notfeel prepared if theycame down with aserious condition

• Many had not given theidea of LTC muchthought

• Few stated that they hadno other funds in placefor the future

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Planning for the Future

• Some mentioned theyhad no idea where toget information aboutplanning

• Skepticism aboutapproaching companiesor other entities that gotpaid for the advice theywould provide

Information About Planning

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• They had little knowledge of LTC insurance productsor how these worked

• Misconceptions were evident:

– Health insurance or life insurance would cover

– Family would help out

Knowledge of LTC Insurance

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Reasons to Buy LTC Insurance?

• Don’t want to be burden on family

• Protecting one’s assets

• Have own/more options on where to go for care

• Peace of mind

• Security/No worries about being taken care of

• Ability to purchase long-term care

• Family history of serious health conditions

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Reasons NOT to buy LTC Insurance?

• Cost/Affordability

• Lack of information on options

• Reliance on family to provide care

• Investing in something you may not need

• Don’t believe in it

• Denial (don’t think that they’ll need care)

• Ignorance

• Competing priorities (e.g., college funds, mortgage)

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Field Poll

In 2011, CPLTC commissioned its fifth in a series of public surveys to measure Californians’ attitudes, knowledge about long-term care issues. Surveys conducted in:

• 1994

• 1996

• 2001

• 2005

• 2011

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Field Poll Method

• 950 registered voters in California

• By telephone in English and Spanish

• June 3-13, 2011

• The sample was weighted to align with proper statewide proportions by demographic characteristics of the state’s registered voter population

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Field Poll Findings

The Field Poll survey found that while Californians are better informed than at any time since the surveys began, Californians are still unprepared to deal with the financial and emotional challenges of long-term care.

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FACING REALITY

Which of the following comes closest to how likely you feel it is that at some time during your lifetime you will be admitted into a nursing home?

Greater than 75% 8.4%

Greater than 50% but less than 75% 20.6%

Less than 50 % but greater than 25% 23.5%

Less than 25% 25.4%

No chance 17.6%

Don't know 4.5%

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Understanding Costs

Compared to when this poll initially started, Californians have become more sophisticated in their understanding of nursing home costs.

The California Partnership for Long-Term Care estimated the average annual nursing home cost in California in 2011 is more than $91,000.

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Understanding CostsAt today’s prices, how much do you think, on average, it costs for a person to stay in a nursing home in our own general area for a full year?

Less than $10,000 2.9%

$10K - $19,999 11.2%

$20K - $29,999 15.9%

$40K - $49,999 8.8%

$50K - $59,999 10.9%

$60K - $69,999 7.4%

$70K or more 23.3%

Don't know 12.6%

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Health Insurance and Long-Term Care

• Over time, Californians have become increasinglyaware of the reality that most health care insurancedoes not cover long-term care.

• This understanding more than doubled since 1994.

Did you know that health insurance plans do not cover long-term care?

YES, aware 70.9%

NO, not aware 27.2%

Don't know 1.9%

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Expectation of Need

• More than half of respondents had a good understanding of the probability of needing LTC at some point in their lifetime (70 percent of seniors will need long-term care).

• Despite growing awareness of this reality, too few Californians are actively planning for this reality.

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Expectation of Need

What percentage of seniors in America do you think will require long-term care in their lifetime?

10 percent or Less 2.2%

10 -20 percent 5.9%

20 - 30 percent 9.7%

30 - 40 percent 11.7%

40 -50 percent 10.2%

More than 50 percent 51.8%

Don't know 8.5%

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55% responded that they haven’t given much thought to purchasing insurance to pay for long-term care

expenses.

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My family assets and income will be enough to pay for long-term care should

my family or I need it.

Yes 31.6%

No 63.4%

Don't know 5.0%

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My children or relatives can provide or help pay for long-term care should my

family or I need it.

Yes 25.0%

No 70.6%

Don't know 4.3%

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Long-term care insurance policies would cost too much for me and my family.

Yes 59.2%

No 36.8%

Don't know 4.0%

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The government will take care of me.

Yes 5.9%

No 90.8%

Don't know 3.3%

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Chances are that my family and I will never need long-term care, so buying this

type of insurance is not really worth it.

Yes 27.8%

No 66.2%

Don't know 6.0%

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There are long-term care insurance policies that completely meet the needs

for my family.

Yes 18.8%

No 69.1%

Don't know 12.1%

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Long-term care insurance companies can be trusted to pay for the benefits they

promise to provide.

True 63.9%

False 28.8%

Don't know 7.3%

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My family and I have given considerable thought to purchasing insurance to pay

for long-term care expenses.

Yes 42.4%

No 54.7%

Don't know 2.9%

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Long-term care insurance policies are confusing and complicated.

Yes 21.5%

No 73.8%

Don't know 4.7%