Medicaid Benefits | Everyone says they would prefer to live out their golden years in their home. That’s the ideal for most people. But the reality is more than 1.3 million Americans live in skilled nursing homes, according to a 2015 study cited by the Centers for Disease Control. No doubt those numbers are higher now, as improving health care and medicines are lengthening people’s lives. We will review the
Many times a fall results in a broken hip, sending a senior into a skilled nursing facility. If they cannot recover sufficiently to be on their own again before Medicare days run out, skilled nursing care becomes a necessity, and expensive, reality. The costs can easily run $10,000 a month. How does anyone afford this kind of care?
Medicaid Benefits: A Long-Term Solution
Florida has a Medicaid program to cover long-term and nursing home care for older adults with a demonstrated medical and financial need. Under the Long-Term Care Managed Care (LTCMC) program, you or your loved one can receive benefits for room and board, therapy, and nursing care services. As long as you qualify, this federal program administered by the state can provide monthly financial assistance (Medicaid Benefits) to cover most of the costs. This prevents seniors from rapidly burning through their assets.
Qualifying for Nursing Home Benefits
To qualify for nursing home benefits under LTCMC, you must meet several criteria, including:
- Medical necessity: You will need to provide evidence that you require 24/7 care. A medical necessity is generally defined as something necessary to preserve life, reduce severe pain, or prevent disability.
- Financial need: In Florida, there are income and asset thresholds that must be met to qualify. In 2020, you cannot have income exceeding $2,349 a month as an individual or $4,698 as a couple. The asset limit is $2,000. Looks like you have to be pretty impoverished to qualify, right? Not exactly. There are income and asset planning tools that can be used to complete a successful application.
Help is Available
An experienced elder law attorney can show you how to qualify for nursing home Medicaid benefits. Those who work in this practice area usually have years of experience with the agencies involved, from the facilities to the evaluating agencies all the way to the Department of Children and Families. An attorney can explain the process and help you and your family complete the application.
If you want to discuss your options, contact Mortellaro Law today. Our consultations are always free. Call 813-367-1500 or contact us through this website to begin your journey.
