Medicaid

Millions of baby boomers have watched long-term care expenses decimate their parents' finances, and realized they needed better plans for their own golden years. Could asset-based long-term care insurance policies be the solution?

Almost everyone agrees the federal deficit is a ticking bomb, but when it comes to ideas for solving the problem, some are contradictory and all are controversial. No wonder: If you look at where the money actually goes, it's easy to see why it's so hard to balance the budget.

People who purchased long-term care insurance are getting a nasty shock: Insurers are demanding huge premium hikes.

Conservative politicians have spent the past few months venting their ire on America's entitlement programs, and the alleged mass of lazy layabouts who make use of them. But a closer look at who actually lands in the social safety net reveals some surprising facts.

A record number of Americans %u2014 49.1 million %u2014 are poor, based on a new census measure that for the first time takes into account rising medical costs and other expenses. The numbers released Monday are part of a first-ever supplemental poverty measure aimed at providing a fuller picture of poverty.

For the first time, there's a state-by-state scorecard of America's performance in providing long-term services and support to senior citizens and people with disabilities, and the results aren't much to brag about. But they do point the way toward improving the long-term care system -- and saving the nation billions.

Among the many ideas legislators in Washington have proposed for reducing federal spending is raising the age at which Americans qualify for Medicare benefits from 65 to 67. On the surface, that makes sense. But scratch the surface and the numbers show it to be an $11 billion blunder.

The debt-ceiling discussions may be over, but the fallout for states is just starting. Many states, still struggling to recover to pre-recession levels, have depended on federal money to make up their shortfalls. As the flow of money slows, which states will take the biggest hits?

Described as a "fear tactic" by critics, the White House warned Tuesday that if Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling soon, come August, millions of Social Security recipients may find themselves without a check. The comments were met with a firestorm of criticism by seniors and their advocates.

For children, excursions with grandmother are an adventure. As time passes, however, the ride into the golden years can get bumpy; if you're financially unprepared, it can take a dramatic turn for the worse, and even drive you and your family into bankruptcy. Here are some steps you can take to prevent that.