Free funding eligibility checker
Find out what funding you could receive for care costs
Check what funding and benefits you could be eligible for, from Medicare and Medi-Cal to VA benefits, and see local care costs. Free, with no sign-up.
What we check
We compare your answers with the rules of each program. Every rule comes from an official source, and a program's own assessment has the final say.
Medicare
Short stays in a skilled nursing facility after a hospital stay, part-time skilled care at home, and hospice. Not long-term help with daily life.
Medicaid long-term care
Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program: nursing home care, and some care at home, for people whose income and savings are under its limits.
Medicaid waivers
Medi-Cal programs that can pay for care at home or in assisted living for people who would otherwise need a nursing home. Places are limited.
VA Aid and Attendance
An extra monthly payment with a VA pension for wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily activities.
Long-term care insurance
A private policy that pays toward care once its conditions are met, such as needing help with two or more daily activities.
Want to know what care costs near you? Try the Care Cost Calculator.
Understanding care funding in California
Most families use more than one source. Here is what each one covers. This is information, not advice.
What Medicare covers
Medicare is federal health insurance, mostly for people 65 and older. It pays for short stays and skilled care. It does not pay for long-term help with daily life.
Medicare and long-term care at a glance
What it can pay for
| Skilled nursing facilityAfter an inpatient hospital stay of at least three days. Days 21 to 100 carry a daily copay. | Up to 100 days |
|---|---|
| Home health carePart-time skilled care at home, for people who are homebound and under a doctor's plan of care. | Part-time |
| HospiceComfort care at home or in a facility when a doctor certifies six months or less to live. | Doctor certified |
What it does not pay for
| Long-term custodial careHelp with bathing, dressing and meals in a nursing home, assisted living or at home. | Not covered |
|---|
Good to know
Assisted living and memory care are paid by families, Medi-Cal waivers, or insurance, not by Medicare.
Observation is not admission. Time in the emergency room or under observation does not count toward the three days.
Read the rules at medicare.gov.
How a care needs assessment works
Medi-Cal and its waivers do not start with a price. Medi-Cal first checks that the person needs the level of care a nursing home provides. The usual path has three steps. Your county Medi-Cal office confirms the details.
- 1
Apply for Medi-Cal
Contact your county social services office or apply online at BenefitsCal. They ask about income, savings and the person's health.
- 2
Have the care need checked
A nurse or social worker, usually sent by Medi-Cal or its health plan, looks at what help the person needs with daily activities.
- 3
Get a decision
Medi-Cal tells you whether the person qualifies. For a waiver, it also says whether a place is open. Waiting lists are common.
Learn more about care funding
Guides from the Eria Cares team to make care funding clearer
Care funding explained
Medicare and Medicaid
No. Medicare does not pay for long-term custodial care, which is most of what assisted living, memory care and home care provide.
It can pay for a limited stay in a skilled nursing facility after a hospital stay, part-time skilled care at home, and hospice.
Medicare pays for a skilled nursing facility only after a hospital stay of at least three days as a formally admitted inpatient. Time spent under observation or in the emergency room does not count.
Yes. In California, Medi-Cal pays for nursing home care for people whose income and savings are under its limits and who need that level of care.
Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program. Since January 1, 2026, it counts assets again for older adults, with a limit of $130,000 for one person.
Sometimes. Medi-Cal uses waivers to pay for care at home or in assisted living for people who would otherwise need a nursing home, such as the Assisted Living Waiver. Places are limited and many have waiting lists.
Veterans and insurance
Wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need another person's help with daily activities, or who live in a nursing home. It is added to a VA pension, and the VA applies income and net worth limits.
A VA pension asks for at least one day of service during a wartime period, with 90 days of active duty (24 months for service that started after September 7, 1980).
- World War II: December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946
- Korean conflict: June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955
- Vietnam War era: November 1, 1955 to May 7, 1975 for service in Vietnam, August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975 otherwise
- Gulf War: August 2, 1990 to a date not yet set
A private policy pays toward care at home, in assisted living or in a nursing home once its conditions are met. Most ask for help with two or more daily activities, or a cognitive impairment, after a waiting period.
Check old papers for a policy, including one through a former employer.
Using this checker
No. It is information from official sources. Each program confirms eligibility with its own assessment.
No. It asks about the person's age, care needs, military service and savings, and where care will take place. It does not ask for a name, phone number or email address.
We cover the San Francisco Bay Area in California. We use the place you choose to find its county and the Medi-Cal rules that apply. If a place is outside the Bay Area, we say so instead of guessing.
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