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Governor Rendell Announces Record Response to Pennsylvania's 'Own Your Future' Long-Term Care Planning Effort

HARRISBURG, Pa., June 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell said today that more than 200,000 people have requested Own Your Future planning kits since March, whenPennsylvania launched its outreach effort urging individuals to take a more active role in planning their own long-term care needs.

The federal government says Pennsylvania's 13 percent response rate is approximately double the rate seen by any of the 16 states that took part in similar outreach efforts. The typical response rate reported by states is between 5 and 7 percent.

"The strong response to our Own Your Future campaign suggests that Pennsylvanians are seriously considering their future long-term living needs," Governor Rendell said. "Individuals who begin planning today will have a broader range of options available to them in their later years, which can help to ensure greater financial security and peace of mind."

By 2020, one in four Pennsylvanians will be age 60 or older. Many consumers are not aware that Medicare does not cover the cost of many long-term care services.

More than 1.6 millionPennsylvania households with residents aged 45 to 65 received a letter from Governor Rendell urging them to request the Own Your Future kit, which offers information on financial planning, legal services, housing, transportation, long-term care insurance and more.

Pennsylvanians may continue to request the Own Your Future planning kits by calling 1-866-752-6582 or by visiting www.longtermcare.gov/campaign. The Own Your Future campaign is coordinated by the state Department of Aging in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit www.governor.state.pa.us.

CONTACT: Gary Miller

717-783-1116

Jane Crawford, Aging

717-783-1549

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

Tags: ,HEA,FIN,POL,SCZ,STP,PA-OwnYourFuture-kits

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