“How much?” That’s one of the biggest questions people ask as they tour our assisted living
homes. It is right after excellent care. Once people know the prices, they start wondering how
they will pay for our services. They also want to know what programs can help. We receive a
lot of questions like “Does Medicare cover assisted living?”
homes. It is right after excellent care. Once people know the prices, they start wondering how
they will pay for our services. They also want to know what programs can help. We receive a
lot of questions like “Does Medicare cover assisted living?”
various private sources:
- Savings
- Selling a home
- Family and friends
- Pensions
- Social security
- Other income
Although it doesn’t cover assisted living, Medicare can cover assisted living services.
Some examples include:
Some examples include:
- Physical therapy
- Skilled nursing care
- Personal care
- Respite care
- Transportation to and from medical appointments
- Case management
- Hospice
Will Medicaid Pay for Your Expenses?
In many cases Medicaid can help where Medicare cannot. Each state has their own Medicaid
requirements. In Arizona the most popular program for assisted living is the ALTCS
(Arizona Long Term Care Service) program. ALTCS can cover assisted living. ALTCS will
require families to pay a certain amount of the resident’s monthly income from Social Security
or other programs, and ALTCS will pick up the rest. Typically we’ve seen families have to pay
between $200 and $1,500 depending on their monthly income. ALTCS will still leave the
resident with some money to spend on incidentals.
requirements. In Arizona the most popular program for assisted living is the ALTCS
(Arizona Long Term Care Service) program. ALTCS can cover assisted living. ALTCS will
require families to pay a certain amount of the resident’s monthly income from Social Security
or other programs, and ALTCS will pick up the rest. Typically we’ve seen families have to pay
between $200 and $1,500 depending on their monthly income. ALTCS will still leave the
resident with some money to spend on incidentals.
There are some requirements for qualifying for Medicaid, and for the ALTCS program. We
wrote a guidebook about ALTCS that you can find here. The guidebook may not have the
most up to date information. You may want to contact a service such as an elder law attorney
or financial consultant to determine the best way to qualify.
wrote a guidebook about ALTCS that you can find here. The guidebook may not have the
most up to date information. You may want to contact a service such as an elder law attorney
or financial consultant to determine the best way to qualify.
Other Ways to Pay for Assisted Living
There is another government program that will cover assisted living – if you’re a veteran. It’s
called Aid and Attendance. The program is available to anyone who was in the military for at
least 90 days during a time the United States was fighting a war. You didn’t have to be in the
war. The fact you were in the military at that time qualifies you. Oh and you also need an
honorable discharge. Aid and Attendance won’t pay all of your assisted living, but it will help
you and your spouse defray several thousand dollars in costs each month.
called Aid and Attendance. The program is available to anyone who was in the military for at
least 90 days during a time the United States was fighting a war. You didn’t have to be in the
war. The fact you were in the military at that time qualifies you. Oh and you also need an
honorable discharge. Aid and Attendance won’t pay all of your assisted living, but it will help
you and your spouse defray several thousand dollars in costs each month.
Long-term care insurance policies are also a great way to pay for assisted living. If you’re looking for an assisted living home right now, this may not be a great solution. You have to sign up for Long-Term Care insurance well before you need it. If you did sign up for it, you may find it will cover assisted living costs up to 100%.
So although you may not be able to use your Medicare benefits to pay for assisted living, you may be able to find another way. You can also use your Medicare benefits with other programs to cover assisted living and most other aspects of your long-term care needs. We have a lot of connections in the health care industry. Especially around Goodyear, Surprise and Sun City AZ. If you need to find some answers, please contact us!
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