Assisted Living in Bellevue, WA

Assisted Living Costs in Bellevue

According to Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care Study, monthly assisted living costs in Bellevue and the surrounding area are slightly higher than the national average of $4,000 and $900 less than the Washington average of $5,135. Monthly costs for assisted living are significantly higher in nearby Seattle ($5,750), while the cost of assisted living in Bellevue is similar to Bellingham ($4,250). 

Cost of Assisted Living Comparison Chart

• Bellevue: $4,213
• National average: $4,000
• State average: $5,135
• Kennewick: $5,550
• Bremerton: $5,720
• Mount Vernon: $5,125
• Walla Walla: $4,950

Care Cost Comparison

The wide range of costs for senior care is based largely on the type of care provided, the location and what is included. In Bellevue, nursing home care is nearly double the cost of assisted living, while homemaker and home health aide services cost about $1,000 more a month than assisted living. It’s important to note that these figures for in-home services don’t include additional expenses associated with maintaining a home, such as utilities, taxes, insurance and upkeep. These costs are normally included with residential care for seniors. 

Cost of Homemaker/Home Health Aide Comparison Chart

• Assisted living: $4,213
• Homemaker services: $5,339
• Home health aide: $5,339
• Adult day health: $2,584
• Nursing home care (semiprivate room): $8,091

Financial Assistance for Assisted Living in Bellevue

Medicaid in Washington

Bellevue seniors aged 65 and older may qualify for Classic Medicaid coverage under Washington Apple Health, the state Medicare program. There are a number of coverage options available for seniors who are Medicare-eligible, including the Apple Health Medicare Savings Program, which provides individuals with assistance to pay Medicare premiums, coinsurance charges, co-payments and deductibles. 

Seniors aged 65 and older who have a monthly income of $1,396 or less may qualify for up to $16,752 in coverage if they meet means testing. This includes a retroactive five-year audit of assets prior to the date of their Medicaid application to prevent fraudulent claims. 

Seniors may also qualify for Apple Health Long-Term Care, which includes coverage for a range of long-term care services including nursing home care for applicants who require placement in a nursing home. Apple Health Long-Term Care also includes coverage for home-based and assisted living services for applicants who need help with two or more activities of daily living, such as grooming, dressing and light meal preparation. 

Long-term care coverage through Medicaid in Washington falls under three programs. The income limit for both the Institutional/Nursing Home Medicaid program and the Medicaid Waivers/Home and Community-Based Services is $2,313 per month for a single applicant and $4,626 for a married couple when both spouses are applying. The third long-term care coverage program, for regular Medicaid applicants who are aged, blind or disabled, has income limits of $771 per month for singles and $1,157 for married couples. 

To speak with a navigator about the Apple Health enrollment process, call the Washington Healthplanfinder at (855) 923-4633. 

Other Financial Assistance Programs for Assisted Living

Assisted Living Bridge Loans and Reverse Mortgages

Bridge loans provide up to 12 months of payments for seniors who require short-term assistance paying for assisted living. These loans, offered through Elderlife Financial Services, provide seniors with access to either a lump-sum payment or a line of credit that can be paid off once benefits are approved or the senior sells their home. 

Reverse mortgages are available for partnered seniors aged 62 or older who own their own home and one partner or spouse needs to move into an assisted living facility. These reverse mortgages allow seniors to access the equity in their home to pay for assisted living while retaining ownership of their residence as long as one spouse continues to live in the home. 

To learn more about assisted living bridge loans and reverse mortgages, contact Elderlife Financial at (888) 228-4500. 

Veterans Aid and Attendance Benefits and Housebound Allowance

Veterans who have been honorably discharged and their surviving spouses may be eligible for benefits to cover assisted living costs through the Aid and Attendance and Housebound Program. This program is restricted to those who qualify for a VA pension, and it cannot be combined with VA disability benefits. Note that for the purposes of this program, disability does not need to be related to military service. 

The Housebound pension supplement is available to qualified applicants who have both a VA disability rating of 100 percent and are largely limited to their primary residence as a direct result of their permanent disability. 

The Aid and Attendance pension top-up is available to applicants who:

• Are bedridden for the majority of the day due to disability or illness
• Require a caregiver daily to assist with bathing, toileting, eating or managing a prosthetic device
• Have corrected vision that is 5/200 or less in both eyes or has visual field concentric contraction to 5 degrees or less
• Are living in a nursing home due to a disability-related loss of mental or physical abilities

For more information about the Aid and Attendance or Household benefits pension supplement program for veterans in the State of Washington, contact the VA St. Paul Pension Management Center at (800) 827-1000. 

Assisted Living Resources in Bellevue

Senior Centers in Bellevue

Bellevue Parks and Community Services operates a senior service center that provides a wide range of low-cost and no-cost programs for older adults. Seniors aged 60 and older can purchase a hot lunch four days a week at the center for a nominal fee, participate in weekly social groups and take part in escorted day trips to area casinos, festivals and restaurants. 

North Bellevue Community Center
4063 148th Avenue NE, Bellevue, WA 98007
(425) 452-7681

Community Assistance Agencies

A number of nonprofit groups in Bellevue provide services to seniors and caregivers, including transportation assistance for seniors who need help getting to medical appointments. There is a dedicated outpatient clinic that offers a range of senior-specific health screening and preventative care services, and a volunteer services program that provides companionship and support to seniors aged 60 and older. 

Sound Generations – Volunteer Transportation and Shuttles
2208 Second Avenue, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98121-2055
(206) 488-5757

Catholic Community Services
100 23rd Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98144
(206) 328-5696

Overlake Senior Health Clinic
1750 112th Avenue NE, Suite A-101, Bellevue, WA 98004
(425) 688-5756

Veteran Centers and Clinics

Bellevue is home to a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic that is part of the VA Puget Sound Health Care System. This VA clinic is fully handicap-accessible and includes primary care, mental health and social work services as well as assistance with prescription processing and lab services. 

Bellevue CBOC (Valor Healthcare)
13033 Bel-Red Road, Suite 210, Bellevue, WA 98005-2633
(844) 296-6566