Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education
  Print E-mail

Long-term Care Insurance Introduction

Long-Term Care InsuranceMany people mistakenly think their health insurance or Medicare will pay for any long-term care services they may need at some point. But health insurance really only pays for doctor and hospital bills. If you develop a chronic illness or become disabled and are unable to care for yourself for an extended period of time, you’ll need long-term care services. And these services aren’t cheap. Full-time nursing home care averages $69,000 to $78,000 per year or 8 hours per day of home health care can cost $43,000 to $70,000 annually.

Explore this section to learn more about who needs long-term care insurance, what types of care are covered, policy options and features, and where and when to buy it. There’s also an interactive map to help you get a sense of what long-term care services cost in your area.