You may be surprised. Consumer surveys reveal common misunderstandings about which public programs pay for long-term care services. It's important to clearly understand what is and isn’t covered.
Medicare:
- Only pays for long-term care if you require skilled services or rehabilitative care:
- In a nursing home for a maximum of 100 days, however, the average Medicare covered stay is much shorter (22 days).
- At home if you're also receiving skilled home health or other skilled in-home services. Generally, long-term care services are provided only for a short period of time.
- Does not pay for non-skilled assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADL), which make up the majority of long-term care services.
- You'll have to pay for long-term care services that are not covered by a public or private insurance program.
Medicaid:
- Does pay for the largest share of long-term care services, but to qualify, your income must be below a certain level and you must meet minimum state eligibility requirements.
- Such requirements are based on the amount of assistance you need with ADL.
Other federal programs such as the Older Americans Act and the Department of Veterans Affairs pay for long-term care services, but only for specific populations and in certain circumstances.