Many Bergen County families are sitting on a benefit they have never used. Long-term care insurance policies, purchased years or even decades ago to protect against the cost of a nursing home, often cover in-home care too. The problem is that most families do not know this, and even when they do, the claims process feels complicated enough that they delay starting care, or skip filing altogether.
This guide is for families in Hackensack, Paramus, Emerson, Westwood, Rutherford, and the surrounding Greater Hackensack communities who have a long-term care insurance policy and are trying to understand whether and how it can pay for in-home care. It explains how these policies work in plain language, what the most common mistakes are, and how an RN-led home care team can help simplify the process.
What Long-Term Care Insurance Is Designed to Cover
Long-term care insurance is a private insurance product designed to cover the kind of care that regular health insurance and Medicare do not. Medicare pays for short-term, medically necessary skilled care after a qualifying hospital stay. It does not pay for the ongoing personal care and daily living support that most older adults actually need over time: help with bathing, dressing, meal preparation, medication reminders, mobility assistance, and companionship.
That gap is exactly what long-term care insurance was built to fill. Most policies pay benefits when the insured needs hands-on assistance with two or more Activities of Daily Living, which are bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, continence, and eating. Policies also typically pay when a person has a cognitive impairment, such as dementia, that requires supervision.
A common myth worth addressing directly: many families assume their policy only covers nursing home or assisted living placement. Most modern policies cover home care as well, and for many Bergen County families, where the goal is for a parent to stay home as long as possible, the home care benefit is the most relevant one they have.
The Elimination Period: The Part Most Families Miss
Every long-term care insurance policy has an elimination period, sometimes called a waiting period. It works like a deductible, but instead of being measured in dollars, it is measured in days. Common elimination periods are 30, 60, or 90 days, meaning the policyholder must pay for care out of pocket for that many days before the insurance benefit begins.
This is the part of the policy that creates the most confusion and the most costly mistakes. Families sometimes wait until a crisis to file a claim, then discover that the clock on the elimination period has not started because they never began receiving paid care. Other families miscount the days or fail to document care properly during the elimination period, which delays approval.
The best approach is to file the claim and begin the documentation process as early as possible, before or at the moment care begins, rather than after the need becomes urgent. An experienced home care agency that works regularly with long-term care insurance carriers knows how to support this process.
How BrightStar Care of Greater Hackensack Supports LTC Insurance Claims
BrightStar Care of Greater Hackensack accepts long-term care insurance as a payment source and has experience working with major carriers including Genworth, John Hancock, Transamerica, BrightHouse, NexSnerica, CNA, and Thrivent, among others. As the market and providers change, the team adapts to work with whatever policy a Bergen County family has in hand.
The process begins with a free in-home assessment by a Registered Nurse. That RN assessment serves a dual purpose. It builds the care plan, and it creates the clinical documentation that most carriers require to process a claim, specifically a professional evaluation of the client's functional needs and Activities of Daily Living. Carriers recognize and accept RN assessments, and having that documentation in order from the start reduces delays.
From there, the team helps families understand what their specific policy covers, what documentation needs to be submitted, and how to communicate with the carrier. Families do not have to navigate the paperwork alone.
What to Do If You Are Not Sure What Your Policy Covers
Policy language varies significantly, and many families have not looked at their long-term care policy in years. Before calling the insurance company, it helps to locate the original policy documents and look for three specific pieces of information: the daily or monthly benefit amount, the elimination period, and whether the policy covers home care specifically.
If the policy is difficult to locate, the insurance company's customer service line can usually provide a summary of benefits over the phone with the policy number and the insured's identifying information. New Jersey residents can also contact the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance at 1-800-446-7467 for guidance on understanding insurance policies and consumer rights.
Once the benefit is confirmed, the next step is to contact a home care agency and begin the intake process. Starting early, before care is urgently needed, gives families the most flexibility in how they structure the plan.
Paying for Home Care in Bergen County: The Broader Picture
Long-term care insurance is one of several ways Bergen County families pay for in-home care. Private pay is the most common. Veterans' benefits, specifically VA Aid and Attendance, can help qualifying veterans and surviving spouses offset costs. New Jersey's Managed Long Term Services and Supports program, MLTSS through NJ FamilyCare, covers home care for those who qualify both financially and clinically. The Jersey Assistance for Community Caregiving program, known as JACC, provides a range of in-home services for eligible Bergen County residents who do not qualify for Medicaid.
Bergen County's Division of Senior Services, reachable at (201) 336-6000, can help families identify which public programs they may qualify for alongside private insurance options.
What BrightStar Care of Greater Hackensack Provides
At BrightStar Care of Greater Hackensack, every plan of care is built and overseen by a Registered Nurse. Care ranges from a few hours of personal support per week up to 24-hour live-in care, and the schedule is set based on what the client actually needs. There are no minimum-hour requirements.
The team serves families across Hackensack, Paramus, Emerson, Westwood, Maywood, Rutherford, Lyndhurst, Hasbrouck Heights, and the surrounding Greater Hackensack communities.
For a free consultation about in-home care and how long-term care insurance can be applied toward it, call BrightStar Care of Greater Hackensack at (201) 483-8490 or visit brightstarcare.com/locations/greater-hackensack.
Local Bergen County Resources
Bergen County Division of Senior Services Information, referrals, and program navigation for Bergen County older adults and their families. Phone: (201) 336-6000. Website: bergencountynj.gov/division-of-senior-services.
New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance Consumer assistance for understanding and navigating insurance policies, including long-term care. Phone: 1-800-446-7467. Website: nj.gov/dobi.
NJ ADRC, Aging and Disability Resource Connection Statewide connection to long-term care programs including MLTSS and JACC. Phone: 1-877-222-3737.
Hackensack Meridian Health Social Services Discharge planning and social work support at Hackensack University Medical Center. Phone: (551) 996-2000. Website: hackensackmeridianhealth.org.
Valley Health System Social Work Services The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood offers social workers who assist families with discharge planning and long-term care navigation. Phone: (201) 447-8000. Website: valleyhealth.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Medicare cover ongoing home care in New Jersey?
No. Medicare covers short-term, medically necessary skilled home health visits after a qualifying hospital stay, for a limited period and with strict eligibility requirements. It does not cover ongoing personal care such as bathing, dressing, or daily supervision. That kind of long-term support is what long-term care insurance, private pay, veterans' benefits, or NJ Medicaid programs are designed to cover.
What if my parent's long-term care policy has a waiting period and care is needed now?
Care can begin immediately on a private-pay basis while the elimination period is running. Many families do exactly this: start care, document it properly, and then transition to the insurance benefit once the elimination period is satisfied. A BrightStar Care RN can advise on documentation during that window. Call (201) 483-8490 to discuss the specifics.
What if we are not sure the policy covers home care?
Start with the policy documents or a call to the carrier. If the policy was issued in the last 20 years, it is very likely to include a home care benefit. If you cannot locate the policy or have trouble getting a clear answer from the carrier, the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance consumer line at 1-800-446-7467 can assist.
Sources
- New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance. Long-Term Care Insurance Consumer Guide. nj.gov/dobi
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners. A Shopper's Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance. content.naic.org
- Bergen County Division of Senior Services. Home and Community Based Services. bergencountynj.gov
- NJ Division of Aging Services. MLTSS and JACC Programs. nj.gov/humanservices/doas