Many people mistakenly think their government health insurance plans will pay for the long-term care services they may need at some point. But government plans really only pay for doctor and hospital bills, as well as, certain covered drug and medical costs. If you develop a chronic illness or become disabled and are unable to care for yourself for an extended period of time, you’ll need long-term care services. And these services aren’t cheap. Full-time nursing home care averages $70,000 to $85,000 per year or, 8 hours per day of home health care can cost $45,000 to $75,000 annually.