Medicaid is a nationwide program that provides low-income, low-asset Americans with access to limited health services such as screening for diabetes and management of chronic health conditions. The federal and state governments jointly fund it, and in Florida, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration administers the Medicaid program.
To qualify for Medicaid coverage, Ocala seniors need to meet strict income and asset limits. For a single senior, the income limit is $2,313 per month, while a couple applying together can earn no more than $4,626. Income from all sources must be declared, including pensions, alimony, stock dividends, wages and annuities.
Medicaid limits countable assets to a maximum of $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples. Assets include cash, bank account balances, bonds, stocks and all real estate except for the applicant’s primary residence as long as that residence has a current market value of $585,000 or less. Also excluded from countable assets are all personal effects such as clothing, furniture, jewelry and one vehicle.
Seniors aged 65 and over who qualify for Medicaid may be eligible for benefits through the Florida Statewide Medicaid Managed Care, Long Term Care Program, or SMMC LTC. This program funds services designed to delay or prevent nursing home placement by supporting seniors who remain in their own homes or an assisted living facility.
Services covered under the SMMC LTC include home accessibility adaptation, homemakers and attendant care, medication administration, and occupational, physical and speech therapy. It’s important to note that while this program does not cover the room-and-board portion of monthly assisted living costs, it may be used to fund other supports seniors could need to reside in an assisted living facility.
In addition to meeting eligibility requirements for Medicaid coverage, seniors who apply for the SMMC LTC program must also meet one or more of the clinical criteria for program inclusion. The Comprehensive Assessment and Review for Long-Term Care Services (CARES) or the Florida Department of Elder Affairs performs this assessment.
To learn more about Florida Medicaid for seniors and the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care and Long Term Care program, contact the Agency for Health Care Administration at (877) 711-3662 or call the Florida Elder Helpline at (800) 963-5337.