When the Money Runs Out
Most families start by paying privately and reach a point where that is no longer possible. This is the most common funding path in senior care, not a failure, and there is an established route through it: Medicaid covers nursing home care in every state, and many states extend it to assisted living or care at home through waiver programs. The timing matters, because Medicaid looks back five years at asset transfers. Below is what the options cost now, and the guides on eligibility and timing.
What these options cost
National medians across published state figures. Costs vary widely by state, so open a care type to see your own.
| Care type | National median | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing Homes costs | $10,205/mo | 2025 |
| Assisted Living costs | $6,230/mo | 2025 |
| In-Home Care costs | $6,769/mo | 2025 |
Guides for this situation
- How to Pay for a Nursing Home
Medicare short stays, Medicaid long-term stays, private pay, and what to verify before admission.
- Medicare vs Medicaid for Long-Term Care
Clear side-by-side: what Medicare usually covers (and doesn’t) versus when Medicaid may pay for nursing homes or home-based care.
- Does Medicare Pay for Assisted Living?
Plain answer on Medicare and assisted living room and board, plus what short skilled benefits may still apply.
- Nursing Home Admission and Medicaid Timing
How private-pay months, Medicare skilled days, and Medicaid applications often sequence in real admissions.
What to do next
- Find your state's Medicaid program name, because applications are state-run and the program is rarely called Medicaid locally.
- Get the five-year lookback understood before moving any money, including gifts to family.
- Call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program. The counselling is free and it is not a sales line.