Last week, the federal government released data detailing prices for 100 common inpatient procedures at more than 3,000 hospitals across the U.S. In the US, and the variance in cost between hospitals sometimes within the same city showed incredibly wild price changes. For consumers who have most of their costs covered by insurance, this might not be a problem. But for those who don't have insurance, or whose insurance companies require them to pay a portion of the costs of hospital procedures, this could mean big differences in what a person is actually charged.
The following is a list of the 10 cheapest states, from highest to lowest, for annual, monthly and daily costs of long-term care in an assisted living facility. Also included in the classifications are the cost of private-room nursing homes and semi-private nursing homes in those states. While personal funds, such as retirement and Social Security, are the most common means of paying for assisted living, many families also manage other payment methods.
Assisted living
communities are residential homes for seniors that offer extra help with day-to-day tasks, such as meals, transportation, laundry, and medication administration (but do not provide medical care).Some Medicare Advantage plans, and most long-term care insurance plans, cover the costs of assisted living, but again, it varies greatly by plan. Maine and Mississippi rank as the second and third least affordable states for assisted living, where the typical resident would have to work for more than 12 years to pay for care. In Utah, residents can save faster for a year of assisted support, but it would still take 6.1 years. In addition to the state Medicaid plan, four programs (or “Medicaid waivers”), also known as home and community-based service waivers (HCBS), are available that provide assistance for home care, adult day care, home modifications and assisted living.
Assisted living facilities are similar to nursing homes in that they provide a group living environment for residents and generally serve an older population. As the chart above makes clear, assisted living is expensive and comparable in price to mortgage payments on a million-dollar home. It also explores payment options and financial assistance programs available to help care for the elderly, whether at home or for seniors at home. In New Mexico, the typical worker would have to work for 13.6 years to pay for only one year of assisted living.
Assisted living is, in essence, economically equal to living at home because the level of care assisted living facilities provide is what families should provide to older people living at home. These figures are the average costs of a private one-bedroom unit in an assisted living facility in each state and nationwide. According to Genworth, the total cost of assisted living is significantly lower than that of living at home with home care. However, for services to be covered, participants must live in an assisted living facility that accepts Medi-Cal reimbursement.
Through these offices, seniors can receive one-on-one assistance in determining if they are eligible for public benefits, including Supplemental Income Insurance, Social Security Disability Insurance, and Medi-Cal. HICAP counselors can also help older adults determine if they qualify for Medi-Cal and the Assisted Living Waiver Program. .
