The short answer is no. Medicare is health insurance. Assisted living and memory care are mostly housing, meals and help with daily life, and Medicare does not pay for those anywhere, in any state.
What Medicare does not cover
- Rent or the apartment rate
- Meals
- Help with bathing, dressing, medications and other daily activities
- Supervision in memory care
What Medicare keeps covering after a move
Moving into assisted living does not change someone’s Medicare benefits. It still pays its share of:
- Doctor visits, hospital stays and prescriptions under Part D
- Physical, occupational and speech therapy when a doctor orders it
- Home health visits, which can happen in an assisted living apartment
- Hospice care, which can also be provided in assisted living
- A short rehab stay in a skilled nursing facility after a qualifying hospital stay. That is a nursing home benefit. It does not apply to assisted living.
Some Medicare Advantage plans add extras such as rides or over-the-counter allowances. None of them pay the monthly rate.
Medicare and Medicaid are different programs
This is where most confusion starts. Medicaid, called Medical Assistance in Minnesota, can help with assisted living through the Elderly Waiver for people who qualify financially and need enough care. Read our guide to Elderly Waiver in assisted living.
How families actually pay
- Private funds: Social Security, pensions, savings, and often the sale of a house.
- Long-term care insurance: if there is a policy, find it now. Benefits usually start when someone needs help with two daily activities or has a cognitive impairment, after a waiting period.
- VA Aid and Attendance: a monthly pension add-on for wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need daily help. County Veterans Service Officers help with applications at no charge.
- Elderly Waiver: for those who qualify for Medical Assistance.
To see what a month costs here, with every fee listed, go to our pricing page.
This guide is general information, not legal, financial or medical advice. Program rules change. Confirm details with the Senior LinkAge Line, your county, or a qualified advisor.