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Free 81-page guide

Medicare pays $0 toward long-term care. Here's what it actually costs.

A private nursing home room runs $127,750 a year in Utah and $139,795 in Colorado — and the federal government puts the odds of needing that kind of care after 65 at almost 70%. This guide walks through what care costs, what Medicare and Medicaid do and don't pay, and how families plan ahead while they still have options.

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Cover of Long Term Care: Bridging the Gap Between You and Extended Care, presented by Brian Penner

The numbers

Annual median cost of care

Type of careUtahColorado
Home health aide$86,944$96,096
Assisted living community$56,220$70,521
Nursing home — semi-private room$100,375$120,450
Nursing home — private room$127,750$139,795

Source: Genworth & CareScout Cost of Care Survey, 2024. Three years of private-room care in Colorado is over $400,000. See the full breakdown and the odds of needing care.

What's inside

81 pages, plain English

  • Why Medicare and Medicare Advantage don't cover custodial care — and what they actually do cover
  • How Medicaid pays for long-term care, and what "spending down" really means for your savings
  • The real odds: how likely you are to need care, and for how long
  • Traditional coverage, hybrid life-with-care policies, and self-funding — how each one works
  • What it means for your spouse and your children if no plan exists
  • The questions to ask before you buy anything

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Long-term care insurance is not a Medicare product, and this guide is educational — not financial, tax, or legal advice. Medicare On Main is an independent insurance agency and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare, CMS, or any government agency. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.

Last updated . Maintained by the Medicare On Main Data Desk · reviewed by Brian Penner, Independent Medicare advisor (NPN 16493717).