What is the largest payer of long-term care in the United States?

Asked by: Norbert Heaney  |  Last update: September 19, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (69 votes)

Medicaid is the primary payer across the nation for long-term care services. Medicaid allows for the coverage of these services through several vehicles and over a continuum of settings, ranging from institutional care to community-based long-term services and supports (LTSS).

Who pays the most for long-term care in the US?

Medicaid: Does pay for the largest share of long-term care services, but to qualify, your income must be below a certain level and you must meet minimum state eligibility requirements. Such requirements are based on the amount of assistance you need with ADL. Learn more about Medicaid coverage for long-term care.

Who is the largest payer of LTC?

Medicaid is by far the largest payer in the long-term care space, covering approximately 60% of long-term care services across the United States. This government-funded program provides essential financing for low-income individuals who need care but cannot afford it out of pocket.

Who finances most long-term care in the United States?

Long-term care coverage in the United States is a patchwork of programs that often falls well short of meeting people's needs and budgets. While Medicaid is the largest payer, some states have additional programs in place that vary by type of coverage, level of financial assistance, and eligibility (Exhibit 5).

Who pays the largest share of LTC expenses in the US?

Public sources paid for the majority of LTSS spending (71.4%). Medicaid and Medicare are, respectively, the first- and second-largest public payers, accounting for a combined 64.1% of all LTSS spending nationwide in 2021.

Fixing America's Long-Term Care System

25 related questions found

Who pays the majority of personal healthcare expenditures in the US?

Private insurance was the largest source of funding for personal healthcare spending in 2022. Pie chart showing the breakdown of personal healthcare expenditures in 2022.

What is the largest single source of payment for long-term care?

The largest single source of financing for most nursing facilities today is: Medicaid.

Who is the single largest provider of health care dollars?

Medicare is the single largest payer for health care services in the United States.

Does a nursing home take your pension and social security?

First for the good news: A nursing home cannot simply take your retirement accounts or savings. Short of legal action due to an unpaid bill, you can distribute your assets as you see fit.

What state is the most expensive for long-term care?

5 States With the Most Expensive Long-Term Care
  1. Alaska. Alaska is the state with the most expensive average long-term care costs in the country, which is 136% more expensive than the country's annual median cost. ...
  2. Massachusetts. ...
  3. Connecticut. ...
  4. Hawaii. ...
  5. Minnesota.

What percentage of the US population needs long-term care?

There are 65,600 regulated long-term care facilities in the U.S. About 70% of seniors will need some type of long-term care. Get updated assisted living and nursing home statistics here.

Who is the largest payer for nursing facility care?

Medicaid is the primary payer for most nursing facility residents, but information about Medicaid payment rates is limited.

Did Genworth stop selling LTC?

The company was once a major writer of life insurance, annuities and private mortgage insurance, and it was one of the pillars of the long-term care insurance market. Genworth suffered from severely inaccurate LTCI pricing assumptions and ended up suspending new sales of life, annuity and LTCI products.

Who is the largest payer for long-term care?

Medicaid is the primary payer across the nation for long-term care services.

Who provides most end of life care in the US?

Although hospice dominates the policy discussions, the role of Medicare and Medicaid in end-of-life care is much larger than the provision of hospice care, but has received little attention from policymakers.

What percentage of retirees have long-term care insurance?

Who Has Private Long-Term Care Insurance? Among adults age 65 and older, 12.4 percent (or 4.8 million adults) had coverage.

Can a nursing home take all your savings?

While nursing homes can't seize your assets, the costs of this care are high and can quickly drain your savings. Experts recommend preparing for these costs with diversified investments, income-generating assets and long-term care insurance.

What is the $943 Social Security payment?

If you're wondering about the amounts for these SSI checks, the SSA has set a maximum monthly amount of $943 for individuals and up to $1,415 for couples in 2024. Some states even offer additional SSI supplements, increasing the overall payment for residents of places like California and New York.

What happens to your bills when you go into a nursing home?

If you have existing unpaid medical bills, and go into a nursing home and receive Medicaid, the program may allow you to use some or all of your current monthly income to pay the old bills, rather than just to be paid over to the nursing home, providing you still owe these old medical bills and you meet a few other ...

Which health insurance denies the most claims?

According to the analysis, AvMed and UnitedHealthcare tied for the highest denial rate, with both companies denying about a third of in-network claims for plans sold on the Marketplace in 2023, respectively.

What is the richest hospital in the United States?

The top U.S. hospital by net patient revenue is St. Luke's University Hospital – Bethlehem in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania with a total revenue of $8.9 billion. As the headquarters of the nonprofit St.

Who is the largest third party payer in the United States?

The largest third-party-payer insurance company in the U.S. is United Health Care. Health insurance in the U.S. is multifaceted, with many obtaining coverage through employment or governmental programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Thus the correct answer is b) United Health Care.

Who pays the most for long-term care?

While Medicaid will pay up to 100% of the cost (indefinitely as long as there is a need), a nursing home resident must contribute nearly all of their income towards nursing home care as a Patient Liability. Note: Medicaid coverage is only provided for persons with limited financial means.

What are the two largest funders of long-term care?

Medicaid and Medicare are, respectively, the first- and second-largest public payers, accounting for a combined 64.1% of all LTSS spending nationwide in 2021.