Plan ahead before ALS progresses; funding your move into an assisted living facility need not trap your family.
In 2025, over 34,000 Americans are living with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), and that number is expected to climb more than 10% by 2030. Too often, families confront the shock of rising care needs and looming assisted living facility costs without a clear map. The median cost for an assisted living facility in the U.S. now exceeds $6,000 per month.
You face decisions not just about care but about preserving what matters: security, dignity, and control. Families managing ALS often discover that financial strain arrives long before the physical toll peaks. Private insurance companies, Medicare beneficiaries, and those using a national health insurance program all face the same reality, assisted living costs outpace what most people plan for. The right financial options protect a loved one’s home, preserve long term care choices, and keep focus on living with ALS instead of worrying about bills.
What an Assisted Living Facility Offers for ALS Care
An assisted living facility sits between home care and a nursing facility. It provides structure without taking away independence. Residents receive help with meals, mobility, and medication management while still living in a setting that feels personal. These facilities often adapt spaces for people living with ALS, adding ramps, lift chairs, and other durable medical equipment that keeps daily life manageable.
When the disease progresses, some families move toward skilled nursing facilities or a long term care facility for increased medical oversight. Others stay in assisted living and layer in home health care or hospice care services through Medicare coverage or a national health insurance program. Each path depends on the person’s needs, available benefits, and the financial options their plan allows. What remains consistent is the goal: preserving stability, comfort, and access to quality ALS care for every loved one.
How to Pay for ALS Assisted Living Facilities
Every payment decision in ALS care carries weight. Bills come from housing, therapy, and nursing care, and each source of funding covers a different fraction of the total. Medicare coverage handles clinical expenses, while private insurance companies and a national health insurance program focus on long term care or partial facility costs. Families often blend these benefits with personal savings or life insurance value to keep an assisted living facility affordable and consistent.
Medicare Coverage and National Health Insurance Programs
Medicare coverage pays for defined medical needs but not full assisted living services. According to Genworth’s 2024 Cost of Care Survey, the median assisted living facility cost is $6,100 a month. Medicare typically covers only short-term skilled nursing or home health care, averaging $3,000–$4,000 in reimbursed services per month depending on region. That leaves most families paying roughly half of total costs out of pocket.
A national health insurance program such as Medicare Advantage can close part of the gap by including therapy, transportation, and limited personal care, but those benefits rarely exceed $2,000 per month. For a person living with ALS, durable medical equipment like wheelchairs or ventilators may be fully covered under Part B, saving about $800–$1,200 monthly in rental or purchase costs.
Example: An ALS patient using Medicare Part B receives coverage for a power chair and home health visits, but pays $3,200 monthly to remain in an assisted living facility. This makes Medicare a partial payer, not a full solution, prompting families to layer private insurance or life insurance value on top.
Private Insurance Companies and Long Term Care Plans
Private insurance companies offering long term care plans can be the most direct route to pay for assisted living facility fees. Policies often reimburse $150–$250 per day, or about $4,500–$7,500 a month. With the average assisted living cost at $6,100, a well-structured plan may fully cover mid-range facilities or leave a $500–$2,000 gap.
Families who buy coverage early, typically before age 60, lock in lower premiums (around $2,200 per year, per AALTCI data). When ALS progresses, these plans can also fund respite care or home health care for a loved one staying in their own home.
Example: A 58-year-old policyholder paying $2,000 annually for long term care insurance receives $180 daily when moving into assisted living after an ALS diagnosis. Out-of-pocket costs drop to about $1,200 monthly compared with paying everything in cash.
Life Insurance Value through Viatical Settlements
For families facing high ALS care costs, converting a life insurance policy through a viatical settlement can create immediate relief. American Life Fund accepts term, whole, universal, and FEGLI policies valued at $200,000 or more. The average payout equals 50–70% of the policy’s face value, often providing large sums of cash within weeks.
That amount can fund 18–36 months of assisted living facility care or cover remaining balances after Medicare and private insurance payments. There are no restrictions on use: funds may go toward hospice care, home health, or facility costs.
Example: A policyholder sells a $400,000 life insurance plan and receives $220,000. At $6,100 monthly for assisted living, that payout covers more than 35 months of full care without debt or repayment.
Medicaid, State Programs, and Supplemental Assistance
Medicaid covers most costs in a nursing home or long term care facility, but coverage for assisted living varies by state. On average, Medicaid waivers reimburse $3,000–$4,500 monthly, leaving a typical $1,500–$3,000 gap for room, board, or personal services.
Families who qualify, those with limited income and assets below state thresholds, can work with a social worker to apply for additional aid. Some states fund community-based living facilities or home health care programs worth $1,000–$1,500 monthly for eligible beneficiaries.
Example: In Florida, the Medicaid Long-Term Care Waiver pays roughly $3,500 toward assisted living; a facility charging $5,800 means $2,300 remains for the family to fund privately.
Family Support, Community Grants, and Respite Care
Family caregivers provide over 80% of long term care in the U.S., valued by AARP at $600 billion annually. For ALS care, this translates into 20–40 hours a week of unpaid time. Respite care programs can pay $150–$200 per day for temporary professional help, giving caregivers much needed breaks.
Grants from nonprofits such as the ALS Association or state disability funds often supply $500–$2,000 per year to offset costs for equipment or transportation. While modest, these programs reduce burnout and allow families to focus funds on assisted living facility fees.
The Takeaway
Each funding source pays only part of the bill. Medicare and Medicaid often cover 30–50%. Private insurance fills another 25–40% depending on the plan. The remainder, anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 a month, is where life insurance value or family funding becomes essential.
A Viatical Settlement Helps Families Maintain Stability in ALS Care
A life insurance policy can become a practical source of funding when ALS care reaches the assisted living stage. A viatical settlement allows the policyholder to sell their life insurance for an immediate lump sum. The cash can then pay for an assisted living facility, hospice care, or home health care without loans, repayment, or restrictions.
Eligibility depends on both the policy and the diagnosis. American Life Fund accepts term, whole, universal, and FEGLI policies with a minimum face value of $200,000. The policy must be active and transferable, and the insured must have a qualifying medical condition such as ALS. Payments are typically tax-free and delivered within weeks once documentation is verified.
For families balancing multiple costs, this option replaces financial strain with stability. It bridges the gap left by Medicare coverage, long term care facility limits, and private insurance companies, helping caregivers maintain consistent ALS care as the disease progresses.
Making a Long-Term Plan for Living with ALS
A long term care plan only works when it moves with the disease, not behind it. ALS progresses differently for every person, and that means the services provided must adapt in real time. Doctors map the clinical changes, while a social worker converts those updates into funding and care adjustments. Medicare benefits expand as patients transition from home health care to a nursing home facility, and programs supported through Medicare advocacy help families access new forms of assistance.
Social security recipients diagnosed with ALS qualify for immediate Medicare enrollment, removing long delays for essential equipment or therapy. For those who are permanently disabled, this access keeps critical ALS care consistent across home settings and long term care facilities. A primary caregiver often leads the coordination, working with family members to balance costs and responsibilities while avoiding caregiver burnout.
Reliable planning comes from active communication and credible research, not guesswork. Families who review policies each year, verify coverage changes, and document services provided reduce unexpected concerns. Every check-in protects the ability to provide care while keeping financial stability intact through every stage of living with ALS.
Speak with American Life Fund
Financial clarity starts with one conversation. The team at American Life Fund specializes in helping families use their existing life insurance to fund assisted living and ALS care with confidence and privacy. Whether you’re someone living with an ALS diagnosis, a primary caregiver exploring options, or a family member trying to reduce financial strain, direct guidance is available at any time.
We’re available 24/7.
Call (877) 261-0632 or email info@americanlifefund.com to find out how we can help you today.
