In short
Medicare pays for doctors, hospitals and short-term skilled care — not for long-term living in assisted living or a nursing home. Medicaid (KanCare in Kansas, MO HealthNet in Missouri) may cover long-term care for people who meet the income, asset and functional rules. Veterans may qualify for a VA pension with Aid and Attendance. Many families pay privately, sometimes using the proceeds from selling the home. Call (800) 614-8388 and we'll walk you through it.
The map, at a glance
| Source of money | What it typically covers | What it does not |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare | Medical care: doctors, hospital stays, short-term skilled nursing or home health after a qualifying stay | Long-term living: assisted living, memory care, help with daily tasks over time |
| Medicaid (KanCare / MO HealthNet) | Long-term care for people who qualify by income, assets and care needs | Everyone else — there are strict eligibility rules |
| VA benefits | A pension for wartime veterans and surviving spouses; Aid and Attendance for those who need help with daily living | Automatic eligibility — service, need and financial rules apply |
| Long-term care insurance | Whatever the policy says — often a daily benefit for care | Care outside the policy's terms; benefits can run out |
| Private pay | Anything you choose, paid from income, savings or the sale of a home | Nothing — but it's finite, so budget carefully |
Medicare: medical care, not living
Medicare is health insurance. It may pay for a hospital stay, a doctor, and a limited period of skilled nursing or home health after a qualifying hospital stay. It does not pay for assisted living, memory care, or the ongoing help with bathing, dressing and meals that we call custodial care. Most Medicare supplement (Medigap) plans follow the same rule. This surprises almost every family the first time they hear it.
Medicaid: for those who qualify
Medicaid is the safety-net program for long-term care, and it is different in every state.
- Kansas — KanCare. To get help at home, people use Home and Community Based Services waivers, including the Frail Elderly (FE) waiver for Kansans 65 and older who meet the Medicaid nursing-facility threshold and the financial rules. As of July 6, 2026, new assessments for the FE waiver go on a waitlist, so apply early through the Aging and Disability Resource Center (1-855-200-2372).
- Missouri — MO HealthNet. Coverage for the Aged, Blind and Disabled includes help for people who are determined to need a nursing-facility level of care and who meet the income rules. Missouri also has a Supplemental Nursing Care program that helps with the cost of residential care or assisted living for those who qualify. Apply through the Family Support Division.
This is general information, not advice about your finances. For anything involving the house, savings or gifts, please talk with the Area Agency on Aging and a licensed elder law attorney.
Veterans benefits
Wartime veterans and surviving spouses may qualify for a VA pension, and those who need help with daily living may qualify for Aid and Attendance. It is not automatic, and it is not a fixed sum — see our veterans benefits page for the current rates, the net-worth rule and how to get free accredited help. We inform only: we don't file or charge for claims help.
Not sure which program your parent might qualify for?
Tell us their situation and we'll point you to the right agency — and to a licensed advisor for the hard decisions.
What we won't do
We are not financial, legal or tax advisors, and we won't counsel anyone on shifting assets around to qualify for Medicaid. Federal law makes it a crime to charge for helping someone dispose of assets so they qualify for Medicaid when that triggers a penalty period, and it isn't good advice anyway. If you need that kind of planning, a licensed elder law attorney is the right person, and the Area Agency on Aging can point you to free or low-cost help.
Questions about paying
Doesn't Medicare pay for a nursing home?
Only in a narrow case: after a qualifying hospital stay, Medicare may cover up to 100 days of skilled nursing care, with you paying a share after the first 20 days, and only while skilled care is medically needed. It does not pay for long-term custodial care.
Can we give away the house to qualify for Medicaid?
We won't advise on that. Transfers of assets can trigger a penalty period that delays eligibility, and there are legal limits on who may give that advice. Talk to a licensed elder law attorney and the Area Agency on Aging before changing how anything is titled or transferred.
Should we get long-term care insurance now?
If a parent is still healthy and can afford it, it's worth pricing out — premiums rise steeply with age and existing conditions can make you ineligible. Read the policy for the daily benefit, the waiting period before it pays, the maximum lifetime amount, and whether it covers care at home as well as in a community.
What if the money runs out?
Many communities accept residents as private-pay and then help them transition to Medicaid if their funds run out, but not all do — ask before you move in whether the community accepts Medicaid and under what conditions. This is one of the most important questions on a tour.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Long-term care coverage
- KDADS — Frail Elderly (FE) HCBS waiver
- Missouri DSS — Apply for MO HealthNet
- 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b(a)(6) (fee for Medicaid asset-transfer counseling)