3 Assisted Living Communities in Hugo, Minnesota

The average cost of assisted living in the city is $4,425 a month. This guide is a starting point covering the cost of assisted living care in the city, as well as financing options to pay for it. You’ll find in-depth information on 3 Assisted Living Communities in Hugo and several in surrounding areas. The Cost of Senior Care in Hugo, MN

• Assisted Living: $4,425
• Nursing Home Care: $8,491
• In-home Care: $5,529
• Adult Day Health Services: $1,798

Hugo’s assisted living facilities, at $4,425 per month, are the most expensive in Minnesota, reports Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care study. This is $425 more than the state and national average of $4,000.

The second most expensive city for assisted living, at $4,393 per month, is Mankato. Duluth is also relatively pricey at $4,250. Other cities in the state, such as Rochester ($3,770) and St. Cloud ($3,716), cost around $700 less per month than Hugo.

Note: Since senior care cost data was not available for Hugo, data for the closest major city, Minneapolis, has been used here.

The monthly cost of senior care varies significantly between care options. Adult day health services are the most affordable choice at $1,798 per month. Assisted living, at $4,425 per month, is the second most affordable option. In Hugo, as in the rest of the country, nursing home care is the most expensive care type, at $8,491 monthly. Surprisingly, in-home options, such as homemaker services ($5,529) and home health aides ($5,815), are significantly more expensive than assisted living. These figures also do not include other costs of living at home, such as rent or mortgage payments, utilities and groceries.

 

Low-income Minnesotans, including seniors, children and people with disabilities, can receive medical coverage through Medical Assistance (MA), the state’s Medicaid program. MA covers doctor and clinic visits, hospital visits, X-ray services, medical equipment, mental health care, outpatient surgery, urgent care, immunizations and many other necessary services. People who are enrolled in a health plan need to visit in-network providers. Some people may have monthly copays and deductibles, which are capped at 5% of household income.

Seniors may be able to receive MA coverage if they are U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens who meet the program’s financial requirements. To qualify, seniors must have an income that is below the federal poverty guideline. Currently, this means individuals cannot earn more than $1,041 per month or $12,492 per year. For couples, these limits are $1,410 and $16,920, respectively. In addition to these income requirements, the state has an asset test. A single person is permitted to own up to $3,000 in assets, and couples are limited to $6,000.

The state’s spend-down program may help seniors with higher incomes qualify for MA coverage. A spend-down is similar to an insurance deductible in that seniors pay a certain amount of their own money toward their medical bills, and once they cover that amount, the state takes over.

Seniors who are interested in MA need to complete a paper application. Applications are available at the Washington County Community Services Department, located at 14949 62nd St. N., Stillwater, MN 55082. To have a paper application mailed to you, call the Medical Programs help desk at (651) 431-2670.

If you have questions about the program or need help with your application, call the Senior LinkAge Line at (800) 333-2433.

Elderly Waiver

Minnesota’s Elderly waiver helps low-income seniors stay out of nursing facilities. This waiver covers many services, such as chore services, companion services, personal care assistance, skilled nursing and specialized equipment. The waiver may provide residential care in foster care or customized living environments. In Minnesota, foster care refers to small assisted living facilities with five or fewer residents. Customized living refers to what the state calls a “housing with services establishment” and may include larger assisted living facilities.

Medicaid-eligible seniors may qualify for this waiver if they need the level of care that is provided in nursing homes. The Long-Term Care Consultation process is used to determine if seniors meet this requirement. In addition, the waiver services a senior needs must cost less than nursing home care.

Call the Senior LinkAge Line at (800) 333-2433 to apply. You can also call the WCCS at (651) 430-6455. There may be a waiting list to receive services, so interested seniors should apply as soon as possible.

Housing Support

Housing Support is a state-funded program that provides monthly cash assistance to low-income seniors and people with disabilities. Recipients can use the money to pay for room and board in approved housing facilities, including adult foster care and housing with services establishments.

The base rate paid for room and board is $893 per month. The money is sent directly to the provider of the housing facility. In some settings, including assisted living, a supplemental service rate may be paid to help cover care services. The supplemental service rate is $482.84.

Seniors may qualify for the Housing Support program if they receive federal Supplemental Security Income benefits. Seniors who participate in Minnesota’s General Assistance program may also be eligible.

Online applications for Housing Support can be submitted through the ApplyMN portal. Paper applications can be dropped off at the WCCS office. When you apply, note that you need cash assistance through Housing Support.

To learn more about Housing Support, call the WCCS at (651) 430-6455.

Minnesota Supplemental Aid

Across the United States, seniors with low incomes and few resources may receive monthly SSI payments. Many states, including Minnesota, supplement the federal program to help seniors pay for their basic needs. Minnesota’s state supplement is called Minnesota Supplemental Aid.

Seniors who live in nonmedical group residential facilities, including assisted living, may receive as much as $261 monthly. The state treats couples as two individuals, so each member of a couple could receive up to $261.

Seniors whose incomes are too high to receive SSI may still be able to get the supplement. Non-SSI recipients must own less than $10,000 in assets to participate.

An online application for Minnesota Supplemental Aid is available, but seniors can submit a paper application to the WCSS office.

Seniors with questions about this program can call (651) 430-6455 to speak with a WCCS employee.

Seniors in the Twin Cities area can turn to the local AAA for resources and support. Its services include Medicare counseling and pension assistance. Resources for caregivers, such as caregiver education and support groups, are also offered by the AAA. Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging 
1265 Grey Fox Rd., Arden Hills, MN 55112
(651) 641-8612

Eligible Hugo seniors can visit Minneapolis’ VA hospital for medical care. The closest VA clinic, located in Maplewood, offers primary care, mental health services, laboratory services and other basic medical services. For questions about VA pensions and other benefits, seniors can visit the regional benefit office in St. Paul.

Minneapolis VA Health Care System 
1 Veterans Dr., Minneapolis, MN 55417
(612) 725-2000

Maplewood VA Clinic 
1725 Legacy Pkwy., Ste. 100, Maplewood, MN 55109
(651) 225-5420

St. Paul Regional Benefit Office 
1 Federal Dr., Fort Snelling, St. Paul, MN 55111
(800) 827-1000

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