By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – Alabama is among at least 38 states where the annual cost of nursing home care has outpaced the average household income. This year, a private room in a nursing home here will cost nearly 54-thousand dollars. The average annual household income for families in Alabama is a bit less than 46-thousand dollars. Genworth Financial conducted the national survey, and there was some initial concern the situation could prompt people to use cheaper, unlicensed care facilities. But Rick Harris, director of the state Bureau of Health Provider Standards, says most people below the poverty line are able to get some Medicaid assistance. He says that means nursing care costs won't likely be a big motivator for families seeking other options.