Over 70% of families I work with are surprised to learn that Medicare doesn’t pay for long-term care—not a single dollar of assisted living or personal care. It covers short-term skilled nursing, but when that ends, so does the support. Lisa was helping her dad transition after rehab and was shocked to learn that all the care he needed in assisted living would be paid out-of-pocket. I walked her through realistic options. He didn’t qualify for Medicaid yet, but he was a wartime veteran—so we applied for VA Aid and Attendance benefits and found a modest, supportive community that fit his budget. Introduce me to the adult daughter who believes Medicare will cover more than it does. What she really wants is to make her father’s money last, while getting him the best care possible. Ask her, “Have you talked with anyone about what Medicare actually covers for long-term care?”