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Letters: The rising cost of long-term care

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Re “Couple shocked by 90% rate hikes,” Column, March 25

Change the names from “Mike and Judy Holtzman” to “Norm and Susan

Zareski” and from “John Hancock” to “CalPERS,” and my wife and I could have been the subjects of David Lazarus’ column on long-term care insurance and the shocking price increases. In our case, the projected increase by 2015 is 85%. This comes after several smaller increases over the last five to 10 years. What’s going on here?

Norm Zareski
Palos Verdes Estates

I felt like I was reading a bit of personal history in this column. My long-term care policy rates have grown exponentially over the last several years. I bit the bullet as long as possible before taking reduced benefits for the last rate increase.

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Ah, I am so happy that big government doesn’t run the long-term care business. It would surely screw up the party for the private sector.

Richard J. Dovgin
Santa Barbara

Where do I start? First, long-term care insurance policies include a provision that rates can be adjusted in the future — so why all the diatribes about a premium increase?

You would expect the featured couple to have the ability to read and understand their policy. What if the couple never needs the coverage; will they ask for the return of their premiums?

I have a long-term care policy, and the company has requested a rate increase, which is awaiting approval from the insurance department. I will have the same option as the couple in the column.

But as usual, Lazarus cherry-picks the emotional issues, attacking the “horrible” insurance companies by noting that the couple have “never had a claim.” This on insurance that usually does not have claims until the holder is unable to do certain activities of daily living.

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Then, the columnist makes the feeble suggestion that the government might be able to do a better job. A laughable position, especially considering the current healthcare mess.

Ed Freeman
Moorpark

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