ABSTRACT
Clinicians play a critical role in guiding patients safely and securely into their elder years by prompting conversations about aging needs, care planning, and financing for inevitable medical expenses. The decisions patients make as they age can impact their financial health and access to medical care in their most vulnerable years. Taking steps to preserve patients’ financial health and avoid financial distress are important aspects of quality care that clinicians can help address. This chapter features information on the ins and outs of relevant health insurance options, covered benefits, total costs of care, common coverage gaps and associated nonmedical concerns that aging patients often experience. Clinicians caring for older adults are uniquely positioned to help mitigate patients’ access and affordability challenges by steering these aging individuals to supportive financial and social needs navigation, safety net programs and other resources that can improve their overall health and well-being.
