California long-term care costs continue to rise
June 6, 2023
Sky-high long-term care costs make long-term care insurance a necessity for all but the very wealthy in California. Consider that a private room in a California long-term care facility in 2022 was $146,000 per year ($400/Day). With the average nursing facility stay being 3 years, you’re looking at $438,000. Enough to bankrupt the average California family if only one family member needs care. And it’s not just facilities, the annual cost of a home health aide in California is $73,216.
San Jose and Santa Maria long-term care costs lead the way with an annual cost of $187,000 ($515/Day) for a long-term care facility. Napa, San Francisco, Sacramento and Yuba city follow closely behind with costs of over $160,000 per year.
Long-Term Care Insurance Protection
Long-term care insurance policies pay for nursing facility, assisted living facility and home health care costs. Premiums for LTC insurance can vary greatly by company, age of applicant and health history. Most companies now charge higher premiums for women, but some do not. For these reasons, we strongly suggest working with an agent who represents multiple highly rated companies and who is a specialist with long-term care planning.
Due to the high cost of long-term care services, insurance providers have significant exposure and very carefully health qualify applicants. Generally speaking, you need to be enjoying relatively good health in order to be approved for coverage.
Do You Qualify For LTC Insurance?
An LTC Advisor can tell you which products and companies may be a good fit for you.
California Long-Term Care Costs – 2021 (annual) | ||||
| Region | Nursing Home (private room) | Nursing Home (semi-private) | Assisted Living (private room) | Home Health Aide (44 Hrs/wk) |
| California State Median | $146,000 | $117,530 | $63,000 | $73,216 |
| Bakersfield | $125,195 | $109,865 | $45,000 | $66,077 |
| Chico | $141,438 | $110,413 | $61,275 | $68,640 |
| El Centro | $106,215 | $106,215 | $73,800 | $41,184 |
| Fresno | $120,450 | $103,660 | $46,800 | $66,352 |
| Hanford Area | $122,275 | $114,975 | $52,200 | n/a |
| Los Angeles Area | $135,233 | $109,500 | $63,000 | $70,928 |
| Madera | $92,528 | $90,703 | $45,930 | n/a |
| Merced | $118,808 | $104,755 | $48,000 | $75,458 |
| Modesto | $138,700 | $125,560 | $48,000 | $69,212 |
| Napa | $167,900 | $127,750 | $75,600 | $77,220 |
| Oxnard | $145,270 | $135,050 | $69,000 | $72,644 |
| Redding | $166,685 | $129,210 | $53,400 | $80,080 |
| Riverside Area | $106,376 | $95,904 | $48,000 | $73,216 |
| Sacramento Area | $169,543 | $127,750 | $62,700 | $75,504 |
| Salinas | $146,000 | $116,800 | $72,000 | $80,080 |
| San Diego Area | $146,000 | $112,603 | $65,700 | $77,678 |
| San Francisco Area | $168,813 | $138,791 | $75,825 | $85,800 |
| San Jose Area | $187,063 | $142,350 | $72,000 | $85,228 |
| San Luis Obispo Area | $146,000 | $120,450 | $63,600 | $85,800 |
| Santa Cruz Area | $144,175 | $127,750 | $66,600 | $84,084 |
| Santa Maria Area | $187,975 | $128,845 | $63,600 | $80,080 |
| Santa Rosa | $149,650 | $135,598 | $84,570 | $82,940 |
| Stockton Area | $153,118 | $120,176 | $43,782 | $65,780 |
| Vallejo Area | $123,370 | $125,560 | $59,400 | $71,500 |
| Visalia Area | $107,675 | $102,200 | $41,400 | $64,064 |
| Yuba City | $182,500 | $127,750 | $55,890 | $70,745 |
Source: Cost of Care Survey 2021 (Genworth.com), site accessed 06/06/2023
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