LTC and the 2008 Election

Okay, so long term care isn't one of those polarizing topics that send voters scurrying to the booth. I haven't seen a great deal of talk about it in the national media, but, as you might suspect, the three remaining candidates for the Oval Office have opinions on the subject. Obama, Clinton, and McCain have all weighed in on the subject.

While LTC may not be at the top of their respective platforms, David G. Stevenson believes it should be. Penning an article for The New England Journal of Medicine, Stevenson believes the issue "has all the makings of a great campaign topic."

Stevenson writes that long term care, "affects a large portion of the population, it is expensive (it currently accounts for about 10 percent of all health care costs), and it requires a unique partnership between government and citizens. Moreover, a range of constituencies perceive the current long-term care system as seriously broken. It exposes people who need services to considerable financial risk, and it too often relies on an institutional model of care that is at odds with consumer preferences."