Nursing Home Costs on the Rise

May 14, 2015 | Crandall & Pera Law
Nursing Home Costs on the Rise

Finding a nursing home for your loved one is never an easy process. A high standard of care and good reviews are a must, but these come with a high sticker price. Long-term care is more expensive than ever, making finding the right provider for your loved one more difficult than ever. A recent industry survey found that “the median bill for a private room in a nursing home is now $91,250 a year. This past year, it was $87,600, according to Genworth Financial, a Virginia-based life insurance company.” The survey was based on 15,000 long-term care providers across the country. The findings were illuminating; prices varied greatly in different areas, with West Virginia averaging $107,631 for a year of care. That cost breaks down to just under $300 per day, which is far beyond the capabilities of most families. With costs on the rise, nursing homes are catering to wealthier clients to help offset the high cost of care. For the less well off, these price increases and the associated quality of care can be the difference between life and death for an aging loved one.

How to pay for long-term care

There are alternatives to paying out of pocket. Medicare can cover short-term care costs and even home health aides, but will not help with long-term care. Medicaid can cover the entire cost of long-term care, but strict conditions must be met. Additionally, the Veterans Administration Aid and Attendance assists veterans and/or their spouses. This little used resource can be a godsend when looking for quality care for your loved one. Finding the right nursing home can affect your entire family’s quality of life. There are resources to help you make that choice; we recommend the U.S. News & World Report Nursing Home Search Tool. You can narrow your choices by region, by star rating (the standard 1 through 5 stars is applied) and by whether or not the facility accepts Medicare or Medicaid. You can also ask your doctor to make recommendations based upon your family members’ specific health needs. Crandall & Pera Law is proud to represent nursing home residents and their families when their rights have been abused. If you live in Ohio, West Virginia or Kentucky, and you or your family members has been abused or neglected in some manner, we invite you to contact us today.