Close up image of a caretaker helping older woman walk

Long-term care insurance benefit payments are nearly evenly split among nursing home care, assisted living care and home- and community-based care, a new report indicates.

In 2006, more than 36% of insurance benefit payments went to nursing home care. A total of 34% went to home care, and almost 30% of benefit payments were allocated for assisted living costs, according to the benchmark study conducted by the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. During the 12-month period ending Dec. 31, 2006, a record high $3.3 billion in long-term care benefit payments were made, the study found.

More comprehensive policies allowing for coverage for home care as well as nursing home care are being sold today versus 15 years ago, noted Jesse Slome, executive director of the AALTCI. In 2005, 90% of policies purchased covered the full continuum of care. That compares with 1990 when 63% of polices purchased were for nursing home care alone, Slome told McKnight’s Long-Term Care News.