The Bathtub Hoax and Other "Facts" Accepted as Truth

On December 28, 1917, H.L. Mencken wrote an article that caused much confusion for years to come. It was titled “A Neglected Anniversary.” The article told the history of the bathtub. There was just one thing wrong with the article.

It was entirely false.

He had written it as a joke. But he spoke so authoritatively, and weaved such intricate “facts” in it, that it was accepted as truth. In fact, the article was quoted in medical journals and reference books.

Mencken confessed publicly that the article was written as a joke. However, the false truth persevered.

It is now known that the article was a hoax, but it is interesting to note that commonly accepted knowledge is often times… wrong.

Times may change, but people don’t. And even today people accept as fact some things that are not true.

Today, most people think that Medicare will pay for their stay in a nursing home. This just isn’t true. Medicare will pay for skilled care. Skilled care is for short-term recovery.

There are two words to pay close attention to in that last sentence: “short-term” and “recovery.”

The first word to look at is “short-term.” Medicare skilled care will pay for short-term periods. The first 20 days of skilled care are paid for by Medicare. Days 21-100 are partially paid for by Medicare and the patient (or Medicare supplement insurance if a patient has it). After day 100 of skilled care, the patient pays the full amount of costs.

The average nursing home stay is 2.4 years according to MetLife.

That’s about 876 days. So after Medicare is finished helping pay for the first 100 days, the nursing home resident that stays for the average stay will have to pay for 776 days of nursing home care.

The average daily cost of a nursing home stay in Tennessee is $147.89. That means the daily rate of $147.89 for 776 days would be a total cost of $114,762.

That’s what Medicare won’t pay.

The second word to look at is “recovery.” Medicare skilled care is given to patients that are recovering. If the patient quits recovering from the illness, the care is no longer classified as “skilled care.” Medicare quits paying.

For example, Medicare skilled care will cover speech and physical therapy... if the patient is showing improvement. If the patient quits showing improvement, Medicare quits paying.

Many patients in nursing homes are not showing improvement. They do not qualify for skilled care coverage under Medicare.

If it is determined that you are showing no improvement Medicare will quit paying, even if the 100 days of Medicare coverage are not up yet. Medicare might quit paying after day 45 of skilled care. Then the care you receive is paid out of your pocket.

When care is no longer of a short-term recovery nature, it becomes long term care.

Forewarned is forearmed. If you have assets you want to protect from long term care expenses, don’t rely on Medicare to protect them. Your best bet is to get a long term care insurance policy for protection.