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Basic Eligibility for Nursing Home Medicaid in Florida

March 17, 2011 in News

Medicaid is a joint federal-state program that provides health insurance coverage to low-income children, seniors and people with disabilities. In addition, it covers care in a nursing home for those who qualify. In the absence of any other public program covering long-term care, Medicaid has become the default nursing home insurance of the middle class. While Congress and the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) set out the main rules under which Medicaid operates, each state runs its own program. As a result, the rules are somewhat different in every state, although the framework is the same throughout the country. The following describes the basic rules in Florida: Resource (Asset) Rules In order to be eligible for Medicaid benefits a nursing home resident may have no more than $2,000 in “countable” assets. The spouse of a nursing home resident–called the “community spouse” may have up to $109,560 in “countable” assets. All assets are counted against these limits unless the assets fall within the short list of “noncountable” assets. Noncountableassets include the following:

  • Personal possessions, such as clothing, furniture, and jewelry
  • One motor vehicle
  • Applicant’s homestead to the extent their equity is less than $500,000 unless the Medicaid applicant’s spouse lives in the homestead
  • Prepaid funeral plans
  • Cash surrender value of life insurance of $2,500.00 or less
  • Assets that are considered “inaccessible” for one reason or another

Income Rules In order to be eligible for Medicaid benefits a nursing home resident may have no more than $2,022 in gross monthly income.  The spouse of a Medicaid applicant may have unlimited income. Patti Fuller specializes in helping nursing home residents who currently do not qualify for Medicaid to become eligible immediately. Even applicants with assets and income above allowable limits can qualify.

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