Medicare Coverage for Assisted Living
How Coverage Relates to Assisted Living
When you are considering assisted living for your loved one, cost can be one of the most influential factors in the decision-making process. The cost of an assisted living facility can vary depending on its location, amenities, services and accommodations. But as you look into finding the best care for your loved one, you need to know how you will pay the expenses and if programs such as Medicare can help with the costs.
Traditionally, Medicare does not cover the costs of assisted living facilities or long-term care facilities. However, Medicare will cover qualified healthcare costs while your loved one is living at a certain facility. Medicare is more often used to pay for a skilled nursing facility or home health care. There are always exceptional circumstances that will allow Medicare to cover different types of care, but in most cases Medicare won’t cover the costs of “custodial care.”
In some states, Medicaid is used to pay for some of the costs associated with assisted living if your loved one has a limited income. Medicaid is designed to help seniors and some individuals with disabilities pay for healthcare when they are unable to pay for it themselves.
Some assisted living facilities will offer their own private funding options for residents. If an individual has long-term care insurance, sometimes they can use that to cover a portion of their care costs. In most instances, residents pay out-of-pocket for assisted living. By selling their house and using money saved in the bank, there are a variety of options for funding your loved one's care.
Brookdale has many affordable assisted living communities that can accommodate a variety of budgets. Give us a call to learn more about communities in your area.