Cost of Home Care vs. Cost of Nursing Home

Long-term care costs money, often a lot of money. People have some options for long-term care these days, including home health care and nursing home care. When choosing between the two, cost is one factor to consider.

Cost of Home Care

• According to the National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information, in 2009 home health aide services cost an average of $21 per hour. Nursing services and other home health care services cost more.

Factors Influencing Cost

• The cost of home care varies greatly depending on the level of care required. If a patient needs someone to help her take a bath three days a week, that costs much less than if the patient needs a 'round-the-clock live-in caregiver, of course.

Cost of Nursing Home Care

• According to the National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information, in 2009 the average cost for a semiprivate room in a nursing home was $198 per day. Private rooms cost more.

What's Covered

• The daily fee for nursing home care may include everything, but it may just include room, board and basic nursing services. Some facilities bill separately for other services like physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy.

Paying for It

• Medicare and Medicaid both cover home care and nursing home care if patients meet certain guidelines. Long-term care insurance and some health insurance policies cover these things, as well. In some cases, patients or families must pay at least some costs out-of-pocket.