Hawai'i nursing-home costs ranked 5th highest in nation
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Health Writer
Hawai'i is the fifth most expensive area in the country to get nursing-home care, according to a national survey released yesterday by a division of GE Insurance.
Hawai'i's costs came in at $84,700 for a year in a nursing home or $232.01 a day, while nationwide the average price of a year in a nursing home is $57,700 or $157.87 each day, according to GE Financial. The survey was commissioned by the company's division that sells long-term-care insurance.
The national annual average cost rose 7 percent from the company's initial survey on this issue, conducted in December 2001, although Hawai'i's annual average cost declined from $86,900.
Hawai'i's large aging population makes such news of concern to more people facing the possibility that they or their family members may require such care. The state Executive Office of Aging estimates that by 2020, one of every four Hawai'i residents will be 60 years or older, and many will need help with daily living.
Last year, MetLifeMature Market Institute ranked the state's nursing home cost at $220 a day. Government and industry analysts look to insurance company studies as a way to quantify costs because government agencies and smaller advocacy groups are less likely to spend money on studies.
The Legislature has been debating the issue of helping residents deal with rising costs for several years and this year approved a tax credit for those who buy long-term-care insurance and a payroll tax to provide some long-term-care services, but Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed the bill.
The GE Insurance survey examined the costs associated with nursing-home care for a person suffering from a debilitating condition, such as Parkinson's disease, but did not include the cost for therapy, rehabilitation or medication.
The analysis was done by Evans Research of San Francisco, which surveyed 2,218 skilled and intermediate-care nursing homes in 50 states during May of this year. The company said the survey included 10 percent to 25 percent of the licensed nursing homes in each of the 74 areas that were included.
The researchers calculate the margin of error for the survey at plus or minus 1.9 percent.
Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2429.
