Think You Won’t Need Medicaid? Think Again: When Long-Term Care Becomes Personal
Meet Mary from Upstate New York
Mary, 82, spent her life raising kids, working part-time, and caring for her husband through his illness. Her home has a small mortgage left and a lifetime of memories. But after a fall, she needed help: dressing, bathing, meals, and medical visits. The local assisted living facility quoted $4,500 per month. A nursing home? Over $100,000 a year.
Mary’s Social Security covers her mortgage and groceries, but not thousands in care costs. Medicare doesn’t cover it either. Her children both work full-time and tried to help, but simply couldn’t manage all of her needs and still support their own families. Like 62% of nursing home residents in America, Mary had only one option: to spend down her savings and apply for Medicaid.
Mary’s story is not unique. It happens every day in communities across New York—from rural towns in the North Country to cities like Buffalo, Albany, and New York City. Families are often shocked to discover how quickly care costs drain savings and how essential Medicaid is to keep their loved ones safe and healthy.
Senior woman washing carrots in her kitchen sink.
The Reality of Long-Term Care
It makes sense that we don’t want to think about it, but 70% of Americans will need long-term care at some point. That might mean a nursing home, assisted living, or in-home help like bathing and medication support. Medicare does not cover these costs beyond short rehab stays, leaving families on the hook.
And these costs aren’t small:
Assisted living: $4,500–$6,000 per month in upstate New York
Nursing homes: $100,000+ per year for a private room
Home care: $25–$30 an hour
Senior woman walking down the hall of a long term care facility.
What If You Don’t Qualify for Medicaid Yet?
Families often face heartbreaking choices before Medicaid eligibility kicks in:
Spend down savings: Families burn through retirement accounts and emergency funds just to pay for basic care.
Sell assets: Homes, cars, or family heirlooms are liquidated to afford care.
Family caregiving: Adult children cut back work hours or quit jobs to provide care themselves, often leading to lost income and emotional burnout.
Myth vs. Reality
Myth: Medicaid is just for poor people who never saved.
Reality: Most seniors who rely on Medicaid for long-term care are middle-class people who spent decades working, saving, and paying taxes. They simply cannot keep up when care costs exceed $100,000 a year.
Myth: You’ll never need it if you have Medicare.
Reality: Medicare covers hospital stays and medical treatment—not ongoing help with daily living or extended nursing home care. That’s where Medicaid steps in.
Call to Action: Protect Medicaid, Protect Families
How you can take action.
Medicaid is a lifeline for seniors, their families, and caregivers across New York. Cuts to Medicaid or new barriers could leave families like Mary’s scrambling, forced to choose between food, housing, or keeping a loved one safe.
Here’s what you can do:
Contact your state lawmakers and members of Congress. Tell them you support strong Medicaid funding for long-term care.
House of Representatives: Elise Stefanik
Email: https://stefanik.house.gov/contact
Phone: (518) 561-2324
Senate:
Chuck Shumer
Email: https://www.schumer.senate.gov/contact
Phone: (518) 431-4070
Kirsten Gillibrand
Email: https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/contact/email-me/
Phone: (518) 431-0120
Share your own story if you’ve used Medicaid for a parent, spouse, or yourself. Personal stories change minds.
Stay informed on proposed policy changes. Small cuts today can mean fewer nursing home beds or less home-based care tomorrow.
Because someday, this might not just be Mary’s story, it might be yours.
