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Boston and Bay State near top in long-term care costs

Posted by Elizabeth Cooney April 29, 2008 02:04 PM

The cost of nursing-home care has risen 17 percent across the country over the past five years, a new survey shows. While the rate of increase was slightly lower in Massachusetts at 16 percent and even lower in Boston at 10 percent, the cost of care in Massachusetts was still well above the national average.

One year in a nursing home private room costs $109,396 in Boston and $106,321 in other parts of Massachusetts. That compares to the national average of $76,460, according to the Cost of Care Survey conducted by Genworth Financial, a company based in Richmond, Va., that sells long-term care insurance. Alaska has the most expensive care, at $187,902, followed by New York City at $145,392. Connecticut is also more expensive than Massachusetts, at $119,678.

The annual survey of long-term care also looked at the cost of assisted living, hourly home care, and adult day health care.

In Boston a one-bedroom unit in an assisted-living facility cost $54,052 per year, in the rest of the state it cost $46,440, and an average of $36,090 in the rest of the country. Alaska again topped the list, at $54,809.

The hourly rate for a home health aide was $23.40 in Boston, $22.41 outside Boston, and averaged $19.18 across the country.

Adult day health care is a spot of moderation in Massachusetts. Five days a week cost $15,337 a year in Boston, $14,009 in the rest of Massachusetts, and an average of $15,236 nationally.

1 comments so far...
  1. Interesting

    Posted by Bettye April 30, 08 04:22 PM
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Elizabeth Cooney covers health for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. She previously reported on business and was an editor at the paper. Earlier in her career, she edited medical books and journals at Little, Brown, and worked for Boston magazine.

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