這一篇文章將探討美國長期照護保險制度之基本概念、涵蓋範圍、保險政策之津貼利益、選擇項目以及標準之完整照護服務,長期照護保險不涵蓋之服務項目,長期照護保險之投保費用,到底有多少人需要長期照護服務?長期照護服務的提供者是誰?有多少家庭與非正式之照護者?有多少家庭與社區基礎之照護者?有多少療養機構之照護者?長期照護體系之現況如何?長期照護之服務對象是誰?長期照護之服務場所與種類?還有長期照護監察仲裁人制度之介紹。本篇之結論將強調政府必須介入長期照護保險之政策規劃,監督輔導保險費率與津貼利益之財政結構。不然將有許多中產階級之家庭無法承擔目前市場上之投保費率而造成將來許多老人變為貧困必須依賴政府救助才能獲得最低微之照護服務。
This paper will discuss the basic concept of long-term care insurance program in the United States. It will cover the scope of insurance, the category of benefits and the insurance premium, the number of people who need long-term care, who are the providers of long-term care services? Who are the formal and informal care providers? Family care, Community-based care, and Nursing home care. Current systems of long-term care services, service clients and the various service settings will be discussed. Finally, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman System will be introduced. The paper will conclude with the emphasis of governmental intervention in long-term care insurance policy and to train the healthy elderly to provide care and services to the frail elderly.