Does Medicare Cover Assisted Living in California?
At some point in our lives, most of us will need some type of long-term care services. If you are not able to arrange these services at home, there are facilities that accommodate people with long-term care needs. Examples are a skilled nursing facility (SNF), a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) and an assisted living arrangement.
Medicare Benefits Solutions
Apr 8, 2021
Varied levels of care
Skilled nursing facilities are synonymous with nursing homes. SNFs offer comprehensive health and personal care support. The focus is on medical care. It usually includes nursing services, 24-hour supervision, all meals and help with daily activities. SNFs are equipped to provide housing on a permanent or temporary basis.
Get easy-to-read, informative Medicare articles like this in your inbox every month.
Medicare Benefits Solutions is a non-government website. This is a solicitation for insurance. By submitting information on this site, I am providing my written consent for Medicare Benefits Solutions, herein after referred to as “Medicare Benefits”, which is a brand operated by HealthCompare Insurance Services Inc., its sales agents, or affiliates to contact me (even if I’m on a state or national do not call registry) at the phone number or email address listed to provide me with quotes or information about Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, and Medicare Part D plans. I further consent to such calls or texts sent via autodialer, automated technology, prerecorded message and/or artificial voice. I understand my consent is not a condition of purchase and that I can revoke my consent at any time via medicarebenefits.com/about-us/contact-us. Additional charges may apply to SMS, call, or Internet usage depending on your data providers.
Medicare benefits for long-term care
Medicare does not cover long-term services. Also known as custodial care, long-term care includes non-medical services and non-skilled assistance, such as help with dressing, bathing and meals. However, under Part A, Medicare benefits include short-term care in an SNF under certain conditions. If you have been an inpatient in a hospital for at least three days, you may qualify for medically necessary SNF coverage for a related illness or injury. Benefits are covered for up to 100 days.
Find a new Medicare plan
Get recommendations based on what's important to you, and compare them to your existing plan.
Medi-Cal
If you are a California resident covered by Medicaid, your benefits would fall under Medi-Cal. Medi-Cal covers long-term nursing home care. Additionally, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) introduced an Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) Program. The program is designed to enable Medi-Cal recipients to stay in their communities as an alternative to long-term placement in a nursing home. Benefits are geared toward eligible seniors and people with disabilities.
ALW began as a pilot program in 2009 and was renewed in 2014. In September 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) authorized COVID-19 hotspot enrollment. This is a temporary measure to expedite your ALW application if you reside in an SNF situated in an area with one of the highest COVID-19 infection rates.
Read other helpful articles
Our Medicare advice articles can help you make the right choice.
