San Jose, Boise and Detroit Are New to Most Expensive List
NEW YORK, APRIL 7, 2014 — As costs for long-term care coverage continue to climb, a new study from New York Life has identified the 25 most expensive markets in the country for long-term care. In the last five years, Seattle, San Diego and Sacramento have moved up the most spots on the list, and San Jose, CA, Boise, ID, and Detroit have joined the list for the first time.
Statistics show that the need for and cost of long-term care are both increasing. In fact, according to the results of an independent study commissioned by New York Life’s Long-Term Care Operations, the average cost for nursing home care in the U.S. has climbed significantly in the past five years, up 20% to $95,706 per year from $79,935 in 2009. In addition, the need for care is growing, with current estimates that seven in ten Americans over the age of 65 will become cognitively impaired or unable to complete at least two activities of daily living over their lifetimes.*
“The staggering cost of nursing home care tells only part of the story. Today, about 50 percent of long-term care insurance claims begin with home care, which speaks to the preference many Americans have to receiving care at home. So the true cost of a long-term care event can be the cost of home care, time spent in an assisted living facility, and then a possible stay in a nursing home. The combined cost of that care can easily eliminate a family’s entire savings,” said Craig DeSanto, senior vice president, New York Life. “It is important for Americans to consider that for about $160 a month**, long-term care insurance could help defray the cost of long-term care and provide the financing so families can choose their desired method of care.” New York Life marks its 25th year as a long-term care insurance provider in 2014.
The top 25 most expensive markets, ranked by the daily cost of a private room in a nursing home in the U.S., are:
Click to enlarge and for the full report
Long-term care costs continue to increase with the following national averages:
National Averages 2014 2009 Percent Change
Nursing Home Private $95,706 $79,935 20%
Room Annually
Assisted Living Room
Monthly $4,139 $3,100*** 34%
Hourly Home Healthcare $21.86 $21 4%
Assistance for Long-Term Care Planning
New York Life recently launched a Cost of Long-Term Care Services by Area tool at www.newyorklife.com/ltccosts to help consumers begin to better understand the current, average long-term care costs in their region. The tool allows users to select from over 160 metropolitan areas that are searchable by state and view the current nursing home, assisted living facility and hourly home care rates for the area they selected.
About the Study
Univita Health, the nation’s largest long-term care administrator as well as an innovator in providing home-based care management, conducted the 2014 survey in partnership with New York Life. In order to identify long-term care trends, Univita has been conducting studies on the cost of long-term care for over 10 years, leveraging 20 years of long-term care experience and its extensive long-term care provider network.
Univita contacted more than 2,500 Skilled Nursing Facilities, Assisted Living Facilities and Home Health Care Providers to complete over 10,000 surveys between January 2013 and December 2013. The regions surveyed correspond geographically with the Metropolitan Statistical Areas as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. The data was collected through Univita’s network certification process allowing it to report the data in a standard format across all provider types included in the survey. Univita leverages real-time data as it captures cost of care information through its certification process allowing for the construction of a larger source of referenced data for all cost of care activities.
About New York Life
New York Life Insurance Company, a Fortune 100 company founded in 1845, is the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States**** and one of the largest life insurers in the world. New York Life has the highest possible financial strength ratings currently awarded to any life insurer from all four of the major credit rating agencies: A.M. Best (A++), Fitch (AAA), Moody’s Investors Service (Aaa), Standard & Poor’s (AA+).***** Headquartered in New York City, New York Life’s family of companies offers life insurance, retirement income, investments and long-term care insurance. New York Life Investments****** provides institutional asset management and retirement plan services. Other New York Life affiliates provide an array of securities products and services, as well as retail mutual funds. Please visit New York Life’s website at www.newyorklife.com for more information.
