The costs of long-term care can be financially overwhelming — for the person who needs care and for the family supporting them. Many families are caught off guard because they assume Medicare will cover these expenses. It does not, at least not in the way most people expect.

Understanding what long-term care actually costs — and what options exist to pay for it — is one of the most important planning conversations you can have. The sooner you have it, the more options you will have.

What Is Long-Term Care?

Long-term care refers to the ongoing support and services a person needs when they can no longer fully care for themselves due to aging, illness, or disability. This is not the same as medical care. Long-term care covers things like help with bathing, dressing, meal preparation, and getting around safely — the daily tasks that most of us take for granted.

Long-term care can be provided at home, in an assisted living community, in an adult day care program, or in a nursing home. Each setting comes with very different costs.

What Does Long-Term Care Cost in Florida?

According to the 2025 Genworth/CareScout Cost of Care Survey — the most comprehensive annual study of its kind — costs have risen significantly across every care type, with most increases outpacing inflation. Here is how Florida compares to the national median:

A few things stand out in these numbers. Florida’s nursing home costs actually exceed the national median — a private nursing home room in Florida now runs nearly $146,000 per year. Assisted living in Florida is somewhat below the national average, which may reflect the state’s large supply of facilities, but it still rose 12% in a single year.

For context, the 2013 national average for nursing home care was approximately $75,000 per year. The 2025 Florida figure for a private room is nearly double that. This is why planning early matters so much.

What Does Not Pay for Long-Term Care

Before exploring your options, it helps to understand what will not cover these costs:

• Medicare pays for short-term skilled nursing or rehabilitation care — typically up to 100 days — following a qualifying hospital stay. It does not pay for ongoing personal or custodial care.
• Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies fill gaps in Medicare’s coverage but do not cover long-term custodial care either.
• Most health insurance policies do not cover long-term care.

How Families Pay for Long-Term Care

There is no single answer — most families use a combination of the following:

• Private Pay (Personal Assets)
  Many people begin by paying out of pocket from savings, retirement accounts, or the proceeds from selling a home. This is common but can deplete assets quickly given today’s costs.
• Long-Term Care Insurance
  Policies purchased in advance can help cover some or all of the costs of home care, assisted living, or nursing home care. Premiums are lower when policies are purchased at a younger age, and not everyone will qualify based on health. If you already have a policy, review it carefully — your benefits, daily limits, and inflation protections matter greatly.
• Medicaid
  Florida Medicaid can pay for long-term care services for individuals who meet both medical and financial eligibility requirements. This includes nursing home care and, through Florida’s Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care program, home and community-based services. Qualifying for Medicaid requires careful planning. There are income and asset limits, a look-back period for asset transfers, and important rules around spousal protections. Trying to navigate Medicaid eligibility without legal guidance can result in costly mistakes or unnecessary spend-down of assets.
• Veterans Benefits
  Veterans and surviving spouses may be eligible for benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help pay for long-term care. The Aid & Attendance benefit is one of the most commonly used and underutilized options for eligible veterans.
• Life Insurance and Annuities
  Some life insurance policies and annuities can be structured or converted to help pay for long-term care. Options include accelerated death benefits, life settlements, or hybrid long-term care products. A qualified financial planner and an elder law attorney should both be involved in evaluating these options.

Why Planning Ahead Makes a Difference

The families who fare best are the ones who plan before a crisis forces their hand. When long-term care needs arise suddenly — after a fall, a stroke, or a dementia diagnosis — families are left scrambling with far fewer options and far less time to make good decisions.
An elder law attorney can help you understand what resources you have, how to protect them, and how to position yourself or a loved one for Medicaid eligibility if that becomes necessary. This kind of planning is not just for the wealthy — it is for anyone who wants to have a say in what their care looks like and how it will be paid for.

About This Post
Cost figures sourced from the 2025 Genworth/CareScout Cost of Care Survey, released March 2, 2026. Florida-specific data reflects annual median costs. Individual costs vary by location, level of care, and facility. The interactive Cost of Care tool is available at CareScout.com/cost-of-care.