Long-Term Care Chart Book: Persons Served, Payors and Spending

Publication Date: May 2003

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

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Research Area: Health

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Abstract:

Long-term care refers to a wide range of supportive and health services for persons who have lost the capacity for self-care due to illness or frailty. The need for long-term care is projected to grow substantially in the future as a result of the increasing elderly population. In 2001, spending for long-term care services for persons of all ages represented 12.2% of all personal health care spending ($151.2 billion of $1.24 trillion). Congress may address a number of issues related to long-term care over the next several years, including issues related to assistance to caregivers, possible expansion of home and community-based care, and financing of services.

To provide background on long-term care, in May 2000 the Congressional Research Service (CRS), in collaboration with The Urban Institute, prepared the LongTerm Care Chart Book: Persons Served, Payors, and Spending. The Chart Book presents selected background information on persons receiving long-term care assistance, providers of care, and financing sources using the latest data available as of May 2000. While some of the data are not the most recent, the trends are long-term and the information is helpful in understanding the dimensions of the problem. (This report presents the latest spending data.) Congressional requesters may now access the LongTerm Care Chart Book at [http://www.congress.gov/crsp/lsd/00.122.doc.pdf]. The Chart Book was funded in part through a grant from the Retirement Research Foundation.