Q: I am the full-time caregiver for my mom, and I also work full-time. She cannot be left home alone all day, so I am looking into adult day care. Will her Medicare or Medicaid pay for it?
A: Neither Medicare nor Medicaid will pay for adult day care. Check with your local Area Agencies on Aging for a list of resources that might be able to help you offset the costs.
In some cases Medicaid will provide for care in the home or in an assisted living facility, under the HCBS (Home and Community Based Services) program available in many communities.
While Medicare does not cover adult day care centers, Medicaid will pay most or all of the costs in licensed adult day health care settings and Alzheimer's focused centers, for participants with very low income and few assets. adult day health care, which usually requires a health assessment by a physician before someone is admitted into the program. Adult day health centers, which typically use the term "Adult Day Health Care" (ADHC) in their names, often provide physical, occupational, and speech therapy, and are usually staffed with an RN and other health professionals.
A third type of day care provides social and health services specifically for seniors with Alzheimer's or a related type of dementia.
Other Payment Options
Private medical insurance policies sometimes cover a portion of adult day care center costs when licensed medical professionals are involved in the care. Long-term care insurance may also pay for adult day services, depending on the policy.
K. Gabriel Heiser is an elder law attorney and author of "How to Protect Your Family's Assets from Devastating Nursing Home Costs: Medicaid Secrets." Read his full biography