Medicare Doesn’t Cover Most Long-Term Care
Many people assume Medicare or savings will handle care costs. In most cases, they won’t.
Medicare pays for short-term skilled care after a hospital stay. It doesn’t pay for help with everyday activities like bathing, dressing, and eating, which is most of the care people need as they age.1 See what Medicare covers, what care costs, and how asset-based LTC insurance, traditional long-term care insurance, and annuity care can help protect your assets.
What Medicare pays for, and what it doesn’t
Long-term care, also called custodial care, is help with the basic tasks of daily life for people with a chronic illness or disability. Medicare treats it differently from skilled medical care.1
Medicare may cover (short term)
- Skilled nursing facility care after a qualifying inpatient hospital stay, when you need daily skilled nursing or therapy, up to 100 days per benefit period.2
- Part-time home health care ordered by your doctor when you need skilled care.4
| Skilled nursing facility stay | What you pay in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Days 1–20 | $0 after the Part A deductible |
| Days 21–100 | $217 per day |
| Day 101 and beyond | All costs |
Medicare doesn’t cover
- Custodial care, such as help with bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom, when it’s the only care you need.4
- Long-term care at home, in the community, in assisted living, or in a nursing home. You pay all costs for these non-covered services.1
- Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies don’t pay for long-term care either.1
Medicare.gov points to two other ways to pay: Medicaid, if you meet your state’s eligibility rules, or private long-term care insurance.1
What long-term care costs today
National median costs from the CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey.5 A few years of care can use up savings meant for retirement or for your family.
Private coverage built for the care Medicare leaves out
Each option fits a different age, health picture, and goal. A licensed specialist can compare them for you at no cost.
Asset-Based LTC Insurance
A life insurance policy with a long-term care benefit. If care is never needed, the death benefit still passes to your family.
- Benefit paid even if care is never needed
- Single-premium or limited-pay options
- Popular with legacy-minded couples
Traditional Long-Term Care Insurance
Medically underwritten coverage that pays a daily or monthly benefit once you need help with daily activities.
- Lower premiums for the coverage amount
- Inflation-growth riders available
- Best for healthy applicants 45–65
Annuity Care
A deferred annuity paired with long-term care benefits that can be larger than the deposit, often funded from existing savings or an existing annuity.
- Simplified or limited health underwriting
- Puts existing savings to work for care
- An option when health makes other coverage harder
Experienced. Licensed. Focused on your goals.
No cost to explore your options.
Sources
- Medicare.gov: Long-term care coverage
- Medicare.gov: Skilled nursing facility care
- CMS: 2026 Medicare Parts A & B premiums and deductibles
- Medicare.gov: Nursing home care
- CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey
- Administration for Community Living: How much care will you need?
Funding LTC Marketplace is operated by Central States Insurance Services, Inc., Ft. Myers, FL. George A. Mellendorf, CLTC, Florida licensed insurance agent, License # A175981, NPN # 538220. Verify at licenseesearch.fldfs.com/Licensee/211790. This is not an offer of insurance. Coverage, rates, and eligibility are determined by the issuing carrier through underwriting. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or any government agency.