A Life Plan Community Near Baltimore
LifeCare® 101
As you research your senior living options, you’ll discover that not all Life Plan Communities are alike. Particularly when it comes to paying for health services. There are three basic contract types for health coverage offered by Life Plan Communities. (Rental communities present another option, but continuing care may not be available at a rental community when you need it.) To help you understand the differences where health costs are concerned, here’s a quick rundown of contract types:
Type A, aka LifeCare®
Includes unlimited access to all available healthcare services at little to no additional cost. The monthly fee won’t change substantially as you move between independent living and assisted living, skilled nursing or memory care. Blakehurst offers a Type A LifeCare contract.
Type B, Modified Plan
Doesn’t include unlimited access to healthcare services. Typically, this type of contract provides either 1) a limited number of free days of health services with additional care billed at market rates, or 2) an ongoing minimally discounted rate for health services.
Type C, Fee-for-Service
Doesn’t factor healthcare services into resident fees. If a resident needs care, they’ll be billed separately for all services at the market rate.
Rental
Rental contracts typically require a one-time community fee, followed by monthly fees. If you need assisted living, memory care or skilled nursing, those services may not be available — in which case, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Either way, you’ll pay the current market rate for health services.
Contract options available at Blakehurst
We offer three contract options to fit your needs: two refundable options that offer valuable estate protection and one nonrefundable option with a lower entrance fee. All ensure peace of mind about the cost and availability of health services, should you ever need them.
Three options to fit your finances:
- Type A LifeCare contract with 50% refundable entrance fee
- Type A LifeCare contract with 80% refundable entrance fee
- Type A LifeCare contract with a nonrefundable entrance fee
Entry fees for residences at Blakehurst begin at $218,900 with monthly fees starting at $5,025.
Entrance fee
An entrance fee is a one-time, upfront fee you pay to move into the independent living part of a Life Plan Community. The amount of your entrance fee depends on the size of the residence you choose and the number of people living in the residence. A portion of your entrance fee may be refundable to you or your estate.
Tax-deductible: Part of your entrance fee, and some of your monthly service fee, may qualify as a tax deduction. Consult your tax advisor for guidance.
Monthly fees
Monthly fees are paid every month to cover the community’s services and amenities. The amount you pay depends on the size of your residence, the number of people living there, and the range of services and amenities available to you, such as maintenance, housekeeping, utilities, scheduled transportation, dining plan, gym membership, security and scheduled activities.
To learn how LifeCare fits your financial picture, talk to a residency counselor.
To learn more about your financial and senior living options, download our free guide, “A Financial Guide to Life Plan Communities”.