Do I pay privately during the elimination period?

Usually, yes. Most policies pay nothing until the elimination period is satisfied. Confirm the terms with your carrier.

Do partial days count?

Some policies require a minimum service level to credit a day. This is a policy-specific question for the carrier.

Does a zero-day elimination period exist?

Some home care benefits were sold with a zero-day or waived waiting period. Check the policy schedule page.

Claim basics

Understanding the elimination period

The elimination period is the waiting period between the date benefit eligibility begins and the date the policy starts paying. It is commonly 30, 60, 90, or 100 days. Some policies count calendar days, others count only days on which paid, qualifying services are received — which can make the same number of days take far longer to satisfy.

Calendar days versus service days

A 90-day calendar elimination period is satisfied roughly three months after eligibility begins. A 90-day service-day elimination period is satisfied only after 90 days on which qualifying paid care was actually delivered — at three shifts a week, that is closer to seven months.

This single distinction changes a family’s budget more than any other policy provision, and it is the first thing worth confirming with the carrier.

Questions to ask about your elimination period

How many days is the elimination period?
Does it count calendar days or service days?
Does the policy require a minimum number of hours per day to count a service day?
Do days of care received before the claim was opened count retroactively?
Is the elimination period per claim, or once per lifetime of the policy?
Do facility days and home care days both count?

Why documentation matters most during the waiting period

Days that were not documented can be difficult to count later. From the first shift we record the date, the start and end time, the caregiver, and the services delivered, so that if the carrier asks the family to demonstrate qualifying days, the record already exists.

For families

I have a policy and need home care

Request a no-cost policy review conversation, or call and speak with someone who has handled long-term care documentation before.

For professionals

Refer a policyholder

Agents, advisors, fiduciaries, attorneys, care managers, and discharge planners can send a referral and receive provider documentation for the file.

Common questions

Keep reading

Carrier guides

Official resources

Contact the company directly for current claim forms and instructions.

Information last reviewed: August 2026

Important disclosure

Golden Age Companions is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or an agent of any insurance carrier, program, or administrator named on this site. Carrier and program names are used only to identify the policy a family may hold. Coverage, eligibility, benefit amounts, provider approval, elimination periods, and reimbursement are determined solely by the individual policy and its administrator. Golden Age Companions provides non-medical home care and administrative claim support; it does not sell insurance or provide insurance, legal, tax, or financial advice.