Most people don’t think seriously about long-term care costs until they — or a parent — suddenly need it. By then, there’s no time to plan, and the numbers can be a shock. Here’s what care actually costs today, based on the most current national data available.
The Real Numbers
According to CareScout’s 2025 Cost of Care Survey (the newest available, released March 2026), the national median annual cost is roughly $80,080 for in-home non-medical caregiving at 44 hours a week, $74,400 for an assisted living facility, and $129,575 for a private room in a nursing home. That’s the national median — costs vary significantly by state and even by region within a state, but in nearly every part of the country, they add up fast.
Why the Number Matters More Than People Think
The instinct for a lot of people is “Medicare will cover it if I ever need it.” It generally won’t. Medicare covers short-term skilled nursing or rehab care after a qualifying hospital stay, but it does not cover ongoing custodial care — help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, or eating — which is what most long-term care actually looks like. Without a plan, those costs typically come straight out of savings, and at six figures a year for nursing home care, that can happen faster than people expect.
What This Means for Your Planning
There isn’t one single right answer here — it depends on your health, your budget, and what you’re trying to protect. Some people look at traditional long-term care insurance, which pays a daily or monthly benefit toward qualifying care. Others prefer hybrid life/long-term care policies, which combine a death benefit with a long-term care benefit, so the money isn’t “use it or lose it.” And for people who don’t qualify for either of those due to health, there are annuity-based options worth a look too — something we’ll cover in more detail in an upcoming post.
How Burke Insurance Group Can Help
We’ll walk through your specific situation — health, budget, and what you’re trying to protect — and compare long-term care options from the carriers we work with, at no cost to you. Reach out anytime to schedule a free consultation.
This article is for general educational purposes and is not personalized financial, tax, or legal advice. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency. Cost estimates are national medians based on the CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey and will vary by location. Product availability and underwriting requirements vary by carrier and by state.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
