"The average cost of nursing home care in the United States ranges from $32,000 to $56,000 a year," according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Paying for a nursing home or assisted living care can quickly drain lifelong savings. Thankfully, there is financial help for those who qualify through the Medicaid program.
To help you find out whether assistance is within your reach, here is a list of basic requirements.
General criteria for eligibility
These are the non-financial guidelines established by the federal government:
Income requirements
Each state has different income requirements. “Income” is considered any money or benefits you receive monthly, such as
Resource limits
Each state has different resource limits. Resources are defined as assets you and your spouse own before entering a nursing home. It is important to know that you cannot give away assets to make yourself Medicaid-eligible without a penalty. Medicaid generally looks at asset transfers during the 60 months before you apply. If Medicaid finds transfers, it may result in ineligibility or a penalty. Here are examples of resources:
To find the resource and income limits for your state, or if you have more questions, contact your local office.
If you meet the eligibility and resource requirements, you can apply for Medicaid through the following links:
Not all nursing homes and assisted living facilities accept Medicaid payments. It is important to ask the facility you choose whether they accept Medicaid patients.
For more information about how Medicaid can provide financial help, please read the Nursing Home Toolkit created by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Your local office will also be able to help with eligibility, resource or application questions.
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