199 Assisted Living Communities in Hillsborough County, Florida

The average cost of assisted living in the county is $3,250 a month. This guide is a starting point covering the cost of assisted living care in the county, as well as financing options to pay for it. You’ll find in-depth information on 199 Assisted Living Communities in Hillsborough County and several in surrounding areas. The Cost of Senior Care in Hillsborough County, FL

• Assisted Living: $3,250
• Nursing Home Semiprivate Room: $8,319
• In-home Care: $3,718
• Adult Day Health Services: $1,907

According to Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care study, at $3,250 per month, the average cost of assisted living in Hillsborough County is below the national ($4,000) and state ($3,500) averages. To the north, prices are higher in Homosassa Springs ($4,125), while to the east, prices are lower in Lakeland ($2,808), which has the lowest assisted living costs in the state. 

Costs for assisted living in Florida vary widely and tend to reflect the local cost of living. Prices range from $5,031 in The Villages and $5,448 in Naples, while prices in Miami ($3,350) and Ocala ($3,275) are comparable to Hillsborough County. 

Note: Senior care cost data wasn’t available for Hillsborough County, so data for the county seat, Tampa, was used. 

Senior care costs vary with the level of care and the number of direct service hours provided each week. In Hillsborough County, at $8,319 per month, semiprivate nursing home care is more than twice the amount of all other care options. In-home care from a homemaker is $3,718 per month, and $4,096 from a home health aide.  At $3,250 per month, assisted living costs are significantly lower than all other types of senior care except adult day health ($1,907), which includes limited group care on weekdays only. When weighing the costs of the various senior care options, it’s important to consider that residential care services, such as assisted living, include room-and-board. 

Medicaid is the national government health insurance program that provides approximately 3,280,000 low-income Florida residents with access to essential health care services, such as physician care, hospital and long-term care. Some additional services, such as community-based supports, may be offered through optional state programs and Medicaid waivers. 

To qualify for Medicaid, applicants must meet eligibility requirements that include income and asset limits. Seniors who are eligible to receive Supplemental Security Income benefits automatically qualify for basic Medicaid coverage, and they only need to complete an additional screening if they need long-term residential care services through Medicaid. 

In order to qualify for long-term Medicaid funded services, seniors must earn less than $2,313 per month when applying as an individual or under $4,626 per month when applying with a spouse. Income from all sources, such as wages, investment interest and alimony payments, is included in this limit.

Medicaid asset limits are set at $2,000 per individual and $3,000 for a couple. Countable assets include all cash and bank account balances, life insurance policies worth $1,500 or more, stocks and bonds and real estate other than a home in which the applicant and/or their spouse live full-time valued at $585,000. 

Spousal Income and Asset Limits and Exemptions

If only one spouse in a married couple needs long-term Medicaid services, the income of the non-applicant spouse (community spouse) isn’t included when determining eligibility. 

The applicant spouse may be able to transfer up to $3,161 per month of income to their community spouse as a minimum monthly maintenance needs allowance, and this amount is deducted from the income declared for Medicaid eligibility. 

The community spouse may also be able to keep the lesser of 50% of the couple’s jointly held assets or $126,420, excluding the marital home and one vehicle, under the community spouse resource allowance clause. 

Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care Program

Seniors aged 65 and older who require the type of care that’s normally provided in a nursing home may qualify for medically necessary care services and support through the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care program. 

The SMMC LTC is a state-specific Medicaid nursing home diversion program that lets frail seniors live in an assisted living setting with help from nurses, care workers, rehabilitation therapists and senior care specialists.  

Federal law dictates that all seniors who meet the financial requirements for the SMMC LTC must complete a pre-enrollment screening through the Comprehensive Assessment and Review for Long-Term Care Program. This assessment is performed by a registered nurse or designated assessor to ensure the senior can live safely in the community with the services available through the SMMC LTC. 

Seniors accepted into the SMMC LTC are assigned services based on their medical needs in addition to all the mandatory Medicaid benefits. These services may include: 

• Personal care to help with activities of daily living
• Intermittent and skilled nursing
• Medication management and administration
• Transportation to medical appointments
• A personal emergency response device
• Adult day health services
• A homemaker
• Medical supplies and durable medical equipment
• Nutritional assessment
• Hospice services
• Physical, occupational and/or speech therapy

To apply for Medicaid or learn more about the SMMC LTC program, contact ACCESS Florida at (866) 762-2237 or the Hillsborough County Elder Helpline at (800) 963-5337.

To request a CARES assessment, contact the Department of Elder Affairs at (727) 376-7152.  

Optional State Supplementation

Low-income Florida seniors who receive Supplemental Security Income benefits and need to reside in a licensed assisted living facility may qualify for benefits through the Optional State Supplementation (OSS) program.

This state-funded SSI top-up program provides eligible seniors with cash to help pay the room and board portion of their assisted living costs. Seniors may receive maximum monthly OSS benefits of up to $78.40 per person and up to $156.80 per couple. 

For more information about the OSS, call ACCESS Florida at (866) 762-2237. 

Assisted Living Bridge Loans

Seniors who require access to funds to finance a move into assisted living  while waiting for their benefits to become available or for their home to sell may qualify for an assisted living bridge loan from Elderlife Financial. 

Offered in 12-month open terms with interest-only monthly payments, seniors can apply for a bridge loan online or over the phone for free, and up to six people can be listed on the loan application. Loan approval is based on the credit rating of the borrowers, and the funds are often available for use within 24 hours for qualified applicants. 

Money from the assisted living loan can be sent directly to the assisted living provider as needed, and monthly payments are interest only. Borrowers are free to pay off and close the loan at any time without penalty. 

To learn more, contact Elderlife Financial at (888) 228-4500. 

Primary outpatient VA health services, including women’s care are available at the Hidden River VA Clinic, and comprehensive diagnostic, specialty and hospital services are offered at the James. A Haley Veterans’ Hospital. 

There are five Hillsborough County Veteran’s Services offices where veterans and survivors can get free help with local, state and federal benefits, such as obtaining service records and filing for death benefits. 

Hidden River VA Clinic
13515 Lake Terrace Ln., Tampa, FL 33637-1003
813-998-8000

James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital
13000 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612
(813) 972-2000

Senior Homes has an extensive directory of senior living options, with care and living providers across the United States.