State officials are again urging South Dakotans to consider long-term care insurance because nursing home costs can destroy a family's finances.

The average cost of nursing home care in South Dakota is $4,750 a month, or more than $50,000 a year. Many people mistakenly assume that Medicare will cover those expenses, but Medicare pays only a small portion in certain circumstances, according to the state Department of Social Services.

"It is a common misconception that only the elderly should be concerned with long-term care," state Social Services Secretary Deb Bowman said in a release. "The truth is that more than two-thirds of Americans will need some form of long-term care after age 65, and planning ahead is a way to help protect yourself and your family."

The Social Services Department began offering free education sessions on long-term care insurance in 2007. It is sponsoring education sessions in 17 South Dakota cities in the next four months to provide information on long-term care, its costs, and what Medicare and Medicaid will cover.

The sessions also provide information on the Long-Term Care Partnership Program, a public-private partnership that offers quality, affordable long-term care insurance.

On the Net: www.ltcpartnership.sd.gov