No matter how many Presidential candidates espouse a national long-term care insurance agenda, passage and more importantly implementation is unlikely predicts Jesse Slome, director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI).

"America has a serious long-term care problem and addressing it is necessary but we've been down this road previously," shared Slome, AALTCI's director.  "A national long-term care insurance program was passed by Congress, signed into law by President Obama as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  The administration shut it down very quietly one night never to be heard from again."

Commonly known as the CLASS Act, the program was abandoned.  "It really was a first," Slome admits, "because I can't think of any other new benefit signed into law that the federal government has just walked away from."

Slome was sharing his opinion with some leading insurance professionals as part of a general overview of future trends.  "It's true that the State of Washington has implemented a modest long-term care insurance plan that will be paid for by younger taxpayers who I suspect really didn't take notice," Slome commented.  "But, down the road when those in need realize that the benefit payments are really not sufficient, the State will have to return to taxpayers for more money just the way Medicare has increased the amount paid by workers to remain solvent."

Taxpayers already pay the lion's share of long-term care costs, Slome admits.  "Medicaid pays for billions of long-term care expenses for those who are needy, and expanding the Medicare program to include long-term care is fine if American taxpayers understand what it will cost and choose to bear that added cost."

"The real risk of all the election-season discussion is that many individuals who are in their late 50s and early 60s will mistakenly put off thinking about their own future long-term care needs," Slome warns.  "It's natural to think that a government plan will arrive to take care of me, but if the CLASS Act teaches one any lesson, it's that even after passed into law, the Federal government decided to abandon the program as unworkable."

Slome urged planning for long-term care begin prior to age 65.  "There are many reasons to plan prior to 65," Slome explained.  "If you want long-term care insurance to be an option, meeting the insurer's health qualifications is more difficult after 65 and, of course, insurance is less expensive if you lock in coverage earlier."

The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance advocates for the importance of long-term care planning.   Established in 1998, the organization connects consumers with knowledgeable professionals who are independent advisors for no-cost, no-obligation long-term care insurance costs quotes and policy comparisons.