Whether you re exploring options for yourself or for your aging parents， you know that navigating the world of health care services and long-term-care facilities can be a daunting task. Consumer Reports， unrivaled in its unbiased expertise， provides the essential guide to getting the best care.Filled with hands-on practical advice in a user-friendly tone and format， this invaluable handbook will help you find the right services and secure them at the lowest cost. How can you take advantage of pharmaceutical company drug-assistance programs? What essential services should a home health aide provide? How can you calculate annual health care expenses? How do you decipher a state survey report for a nursing home? Where can you find adult day care? What should you look for in an assisted-living contract? You ll find the answers to these and hundreds of other questions in this book， including:* The ins and outs of paying for health care services， including Medicare coverage and insurance options.* How to find the best long-term care， whether at home or in the community， whether you re looking at assisted-living facilities or nursing homes -- and how to pay for it.* City-by-city ratings for Medicare HMOs and Medicare supplement insurance policies， as well as a guide to how well your state is monitoring nursing homes.* Easy-to-use worksheets and tables to help you figure out your assets， judge an assisted-living facility， compare home care costs， evaluate an HMO drug plan， and much， much more.* Comprehensive appendixes to guide you to state-by-state information on insurance counseling， advocacy groups for the elderly， other helpful organizations， and more.