A steep rise in both the costs of long-term care and the number of Americans requiring such services threatens the extended stability of Medicaid financing. The federal program has been severely burdened in recent years by substantial increases in the amount of United States residents suffering from debilitating yet not life-threatening illnesses alongside a corresponding winnowing of private insurance carriers offering long-term coverage.

In part, the current troubles stem from undeniably positive developments. According to governmental estimates issued this May from the National Center for Health Statistics, life expectancy from birth increased nearly one and a half years for American men between 2004 and 2014. During the same time period, women saw an increase of just over one year.

In addition, the widespread acknowledgement of Alzheimer's and lessening of the associated societal stigma has fueled a dramatic leap forward in the number of cases diagnosed. With medical authorities doubtful of finding an imminent cure, more than 13 million United States residents are now predicted to contract the disease by 2050.