Short term care policies, like long-term care insurance typically cover home care, assisted living and nursing homes when you can't take care of yourself. But instead of paying for years of care, short-term care insurance, also known as recovery care, typically provides benefits for 12 months or less. And some carriers provide the option for an additional year of coverage without needing to re-qualify. Typically, short-term care insurance is used to cover gaps in Medicare coverage or as an alternative option to long-term care insurance. Why consider Short-term care insurance? It can help offset a portion of long-term care costs for a limited time. Due to medical advancements, more procedures are being performed on an outpatient basis,  Hospital stays are shorter and recovery times may be quicker, but many people still need additional care during recovery.  Whether that care takes place in a nursing home or at home, people often rely on Medicare to cover those additional out-of-pocket expenses. Unfortunately, many people don't realize Medicare coverage is limited and specific requirements must be met first.   Our short term care insurance policies can help protect you from out-of-pocket medical expenses so you can focus on what really matters-your recovery. Limited underwriting, many people that couldn’t qualify for traditional long term care do qualify for short term care. Short-term care can cost you many thousands of dollars quickly. LongTermCare.gov found the national average costs include:  $225 a day or $6,844 per month for a semi-private room in a nursing home. $253 a day or $7,698 per month for a private room in a nursing home. $119 a day or $3,628 per month for care in an assisted living facility (for a one-bedroom unit) $20.50 an hour for a health aide. $20 an hour for homemaker services. $68 per day for services in an adult day health care center Short-term care coverage can help you with these kinds of costs. You can get a plan that will give $100, 150 or $200 a day to help with those costs. That might not sound like a lot, but add that up over a month and you have $6,000 after $200 a day.  The main reason many people choose short term care is the cost for long term care policies can be prohibitive for many people, but short term care plans can fit into any budget. How does short-term care work? It’s pretty straight-forward: you pick a benefit amount, usually offered in $10 increments from $50 to $300 per day, and the number of days (up to 360) that you want to receive the benefit. The majority of policies go into effect immediately. That means the policy pays on the very first day you qualify for benefits. Most traditional long-term care insurance policies (about 94%) are sold with a 90-day deductible that must be met before benefits are paid. The triggers for benefit eligibility for short-term care insurance generally are the same as they are for long-term care coverage. The policy pays for care when the insured can't perform at least two of six "activities of daily living" without help -- eating, bathing, transferring in and out of a chair or bed, dressing, toileting and continence -- or has a cognitive impairment. Why do I need it? Due to medical advancements, more procedures are being performed on an outpatient basis.  Hospital stays are shorter and recovery times may be quicker, but many people still need additional care during recovery.  Whether that care takes place in a nursing home or at home, people often rely on Medicare to cover those additional out-of-pocket expenses. Unfortunately, many people don't realize Medicare coverage is limited and specific requirements must be met first.   Our short term care insurance policies can help protect you from out-of-pocket medical expenses so you can focus on what really matters-your recovery.