Episode 15 · Long-term care

Robert Espinoza

Founder & CEO of The CareWorks Project, and former CEO of the National Skills Coalition

On Retirement Navigator

Medicare Won't Pay for Long-Term Care. Here's Where to Start

“I can't tell you how many people I've spoken with … who are 100% sure of their retirement approach … never have factored in that long-term care is actually gonna wipe out your savings.”
— Robert Espinoza, Episode 15, at 29:14

About Robert

Robert Espinoza is the Founder and CEO of The CareWorks Project, focused on rethinking how long-term care, caregiving and workforce systems are designed. He is a nationally recognized strategist working across the public, private and philanthropic sectors.

His work focuses on strengthening care systems, supporting caregivers and care workers, and expanding economic opportunity. Previously, Robert served as CEO of the National Skills Coalition and as Executive Vice President of Policy at PHI, the nation's leading authority on the direct care workforce.

He is a Leadership & Society Fellow at the University of Chicago, and a widely published author, speaker and advisor on aging, caregiving and workforce issues.

Credentials

Founder & CEO, The CareWorks Project
Former CEO, National Skills Coalition
Former Executive Vice President of Policy, PHI
Leadership & Society Fellow, University of Chicago

Follow Robert's Work

LinkedIn The CareWorks Project Care, Actually on Substack The CareWorks Project on LinkedIn Instagram Facebook

What you'll learn

Why the cost of long-term care is left out of most retirement planning conversations
The real dollar range for home care and nursing home care, and how quickly savings are affected
The difference between what Medicare actually covers and what most people assume it covers
How Medicaid eligibility works, and why many middle-income retirees fall into the gap — too much saved to qualify for help, not enough to comfortably pay
Practical first steps for a family facing a sudden care need

In this episode

00:00Meet Robert
01:31The Caregiving Story America Gets Wrong
06:15Two Root Problems: Financing and the Workforce
09:17Lessons From His Work at SAGE
13:39The Caregiving Divide
15:34Why Where You Live Matters
21:25Doing the Math on Care Costs
23:10Start With a Care Assessment
24:54When Medicaid Comes Into Play
28:13The Forgotten Middle
29:30Medicare Doesn't Cover Long-Term Care
31:02Where to Start: Area Agencies on Aging
35:15The Hidden Vocabulary of Caregiving
39:27Can AI Make Care More Human?
45:46There's No Script for Caregiving
46:53Where to Find Robert

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